Bhutan : Improved Urban Environmental Infrastructure Project

Sovereign Project | 42229-013

The PPTA will formulate prefeasibility proposals for all physical and non-physical investments in 8 towns. For Batch 1 towns (3 numbers), it will also (a) screen all viable technical options, (b) complete basic engineering designs for selected infrastructure subprojects, and (c) incorporate climate-proofing and water sensitive urban development elements.

In addition, the PPTA will cover:

(i) Governance assessment of the EA and proposed IAs covering financial management, anticorruption, policy and legal, capacity and other institutional issues and mechanisms.

(ii) Poverty reduction and social Impacts assessment, including identification of gender benefits and developing a Gender Action Plan (GAP) for the project.

(iii) Safeguards assessment and development of frameworks and plans for environmental, involuntary resettlement and indigenous people (if applicable).

Project Details

  • Project Officer
    Mehta, Shinjini
    South Asia Department
    Request for information
  • Country/Economy
    Bhutan
  • Modality
  • Sector
    • Water and other urban infrastructure and services

Related Projects

Project Name Improved Urban Environmental Infrastructure Project
Project Number 42229-013
Country / Economy Bhutan
Project Status Closed
Project Type / Modality of Assistance Technical Assistance
Source of Funding / Amount
TA 8551-BHU: Improved Urban Environmental Infrastructure Project
Technical Assistance Special Fund US$ 800,000.00
TA 8551-BHU: Improved Urban Environmental Infrastructure Project (Supplementary)
Technical Assistance Special Fund US$ 200,000.00
Strategic Agendas Environmentally sustainable growth
Inclusive economic growth
Regional integration
Drivers of Change Gender Equity and Mainstreaming
Governance and capacity development
Sector / Subsector

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Other urban services - Urban water supply

Gender Effective gender mainstreaming
Description

The PPTA will formulate prefeasibility proposals for all physical and non-physical investments in 8 towns. For Batch 1 towns (3 numbers), it will also (a) screen all viable technical options, (b) complete basic engineering designs for selected infrastructure subprojects, and (c) incorporate climate-proofing and water sensitive urban development elements.

In addition, the PPTA will cover:

(i) Governance assessment of the EA and proposed IAs covering financial management, anticorruption, policy and legal, capacity and other institutional issues and mechanisms.

(ii) Poverty reduction and social Impacts assessment, including identification of gender benefits and developing a Gender Action Plan (GAP) for the project.

(iii) Safeguards assessment and development of frameworks and plans for environmental, involuntary resettlement and indigenous people (if applicable).

Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy The project promotes regional balanced growth and those that by supporting investments in secondary towns, which have been excluded in current development activities (especially in the east and central west and southern areas of Bhutan) will directly benefit. The citizens of these towns will directly benefit from better access to affordable basic services through improved safety, reliability and quality of water supply, sanitation, urban roads and stormwater infrastructure (to manage floods).
Impact
Project Outcome
Description of Outcome
Progress Toward Outcome
Implementation Progress
Description of Project Outputs
Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues)
Geographical Location
Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects
Environmental Aspects
Involuntary Resettlement
Indigenous Peoples
Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation
During Project Design

Stakeholders include the residents of the proposed towns, relevant central government agencies, local government agencies, community leaders/ representatives and organizations, nongovernmental organizations and donors.

Workshops, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted with stakeholders with separate sessions undertaken with the poor and vulnerable groups. Information about the project was provided and discussed in detail during these sessions. Stakeholders priorities for basic infrastructure development were considered and have informed project design.

During Project Implementation

Project scoping workshops have been conducted to finalize the towns that will be covered by the project and the scope of the project. The Project Team has agreed with the Government that the following will be taken into consideration in preparing the ensuing loan which is proposed to be approved in 2018:

1.Water and sanitation critical services and priority of the government, especially addressing water security

2.Institutional strengthening and reform at the Ministry, Thromde and Dzongkhag levels to build capacity for future planning, design, implementation and monitoring of projects in the country.

3. Grievance redress mechanisms, promotion of gender equality results and structure of project steering committee for ensuing loan have been discussed and finalized in consultation with the stakeholders.

Business Opportunities
Consulting Services A firm has been engaged to undertake the necessary studies for this TA. The firm is composed of 6 international experts and 4 national expert (10 consultants). The consulting firm has been engaged following the quality- and cost- based selection method, with a quality-cost ratio of 90:10 (due to the high complexity of the assignment and the impact of the expected outputs), using full technical proposal procedures. One additional international Project Management Specialist supported the PPTA in finalizing the towns and sub-projects. An international economist has also been engaged to ensure robustness of economic analysis and provide recommendations for ensuring sustainability of the infrastructure to be funded under the ensuing loan. Procurement of all consultancy services used under the PPTA has been carried out in accordance with ADBs Guidelines on the Use of Consultants (2013, as amended from time to time).
Responsible ADB Officer Mehta, Shinjini
Responsible ADB Department South Asia Department
Responsible ADB Division Urban Development and Water Division, SARD
Executing Agencies
Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport
Timetable
Concept Clearance -
Fact Finding -
MRM -
Approval 12 Dec 2013
Last Review Mission -
Last PDS Update 28 Mar 2018

TA 8551-BHU

Milestones
Approval Signing Date Effectivity Date Closing
Original Revised Actual
12 Dec 2013 09 Jan 2014 09 Jan 2014 30 Apr 2015 31 Dec 2017 01 Jun 2018
Financing Plan/TA Utilization Cumulative Disbursements
ADB Cofinancing Counterpart Total Date Amount
Gov Beneficiaries Project Sponsor Others
1,000,000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,000,000.00 17 Jun 2022 970,128.40

Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.

The Access to Information Policy (AIP) recognizes that transparency and accountability are essential to development effectiveness. It establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced.

The Accountability Mechanism provides a forum where people adversely affected by ADB-assisted projects can voice and seek solutions to their problems and report alleged noncompliance of ADB's operational policies and procedures.

In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of, or reference to, a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.

Title Document Type Document Date
Improved Urban Environmental Infrastructure Project : Project Data Sheet (Dzongkha Translation) Translated PDS Apr 2015
Improved Urban Environmental Infrastructure Project Initial Poverty and Social Analysis Dec 2013
Improved Urban Environmental Infrastructure Project Technical Assistance Reports Dec 2013

Safeguard Documents See also: Safeguards
Safeguard documents provided at the time of project/facility approval may also be found in the list of linked documents provided with the Report and Recommendation of the President.

None currently available.


Evaluation Documents See also: Independent Evaluation

None currently available.


Related Publications

None currently available.


The Access to Information Policy (AIP) establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced in its operations to facilitate stakeholder participation in ADB's decision-making. For more information, refer to the Safeguard Policy Statement, Operations Manual F1, and Operations Manual L3.

Requests for information may also be directed to the InfoUnit.

Tenders

No tenders for this project were found.

Contracts Awarded

No contracts awarded for this project were found

Procurement Plan

None currently available.