Monday, March 16, 2009

World Bank to clear $2.6 bn loan for India soon

Date : Mar-16-2009 10:16

World Bank will soon clear a special loan package of $2.6 billion. Under the package, India Infrastructure Finance Company is expected to get $1.2 bn while SIDBI $400 mn and Power Grid Corporation $1 bn.

World Bank''s Economic Adviser (India) Giovanna Prennushi told that the Bank is in advanced stages of approving this package. Besides this, the World Bank is also working on a loan of $3 bn for the recapitalization of public sector banks. The World bank in December last year had decided to step up its exposure to India to $14 bn beginning 2009 from about $8.1 bn during the previous three years. In line with this, the bank till February this year has approved five projects in India with a total commitment of $1.34 bn. World Bank had sanctioned a loan of $400 mn earlier this year to Power Grid Corporation.

The intentions of the World Bank over increasing its exposure to the Indian infrastructure sector is in line with its thinking that such investments would help developing nations to tide over the global recession.