ADB to use UNDP strength for CHT community dev

FE Report
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday signed an administrative arrangement to promote sustainable management of community development for Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
ADB Country Director Manmohan Parkash and UNDP Bangladesh Country Director Sudipto Mukerjee signed the arrangement on behalf of their respective sides at a ceremony at ADB's Bangladesh Resident Mission, Dhaka, said an ADB press release.
Under the arrangement, the ADB will provide US$ 471,000 to UNDP for implementing activities of the ADB-assisted technical assistance project entitled 'Sustainable Management of Community Development for Chittagong Hill Tracts (TRTA 9472)', according to the release.
"The technical assistance project will increase the capacity of village level institutions in planning for local development and service delivery," it said, quoting the ADB Country Director.
"Building on UNDP's strong presence in the CHT region, the technical assistance project will also help sustain ADB's interventions; and promote community participation in repair, maintenance, planning, and public asset management."
The technical assistance project will enhance capacity of 300 Parha Development Committees (PDCs) on managing and sustaining community assets and infrastructure; train 900 PDC leaders on leadership, organisational and financial management and 500 PDC members on participatory planning.
It also aims to enhance monitoring towards strengthened governance and rural development; create a pool of skilled technicians from the unemployed youths to repair and maintain irrigation equipment and tube-wells; and strengthen linkages of PDCs with union councils.
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