The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently approved a 150-USD million loan for the Miluo River Disaster Risk Management and Comprehensive Environment Improvement Project.

The project will reinforce 39 km of riverbank along the Miluo River in 12 towns; construct a drinking water supply plant to supply safe drinking water to 107 villages in 14 towns; establish wastewater treatment services for 21 villages in 12 towns; and, upgrade rural toilets in 464 villages in 24 towns. It will also promote sustainable livestock waste management, and green procurement mechanisms. The expected completion date is the end of May 2027 .

Pingjiang, at the upstream of the Miluo River, has been included in the national plan for poverty alleviation through development for four times since 1986. In order to synchronize poverty eradication consolidation with rural vitalization, the Hunan Department of Finance submitted application for the project in January 2018. It was approved by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance to be included in the ADB funding plans. On October 23, the Chinese and foreign parties negotiated via video calls in Beijing, Hunan, and Manila respectively. On December 1, the project was officially approved by ADB.

Over the past five years, Hunan has continuously deepened communication and cooperation with ADB. Nine funding projects with loans of 1.14 billion USD have been implemented, covering the fields of industrial development, ecological improvement, environmental protection, and vocational education. These would help boost Hunan’s economic and social development.

Source: en.yueyang.gov.cn