The Urban Governance and Infrastructure Improvement ... - DeLoG

UGIIP-2, which is being implemented over a 6-yearperiod that started in 2009, will be completed in 2014at an estimated cost of $167.5 million, double theinvestment in UGIIP-1. As UGIIP-2’s lead donor, ADB iscontributing $87 million (51.9% of the total cost), whiletwo German donors—KFW and GIZ—are providing $36.1million (21.6%) and $4.7 million (2.8%), respectively. TheGovernment of Bangladesh has invested $31.7 million(18.9%) in UGIIP, and the pourashava local governmentsare contributing $7.3 million (4.4%) and communitybeneficiaries $0.7 million (0.4%). Thirty-five pourashavasin seven divisions of the country were included inphase 1 and successfully qualified for phase 2 of UGIIP-2.Both projects are recognized as models of urbandevelopment that ensure sustainability, goodgovernance, accountability, and transparency throughcommunity participation in the planning, monitoring,and implementation of projects identified and designedby the community people themselves.According to Md. Wahidur Rahman, LGEDchief engineer:LGED had earlier received a series ofADB urban sector assistance projectssince the early 1990s. However, itwas only after policy shifted frommere investment to a performancebasedapproach that remarkablechange came about in the urbandevelopment efforts of the Bangladeshgovernment. The approach, which linksgovernance improvement and capacitydevelopment with infrastructureinvestment, started in UGIIP-I and hasreached new heights through theongoing UGIIP-2. The performancebasedmechanism of UGIIP-1 and -2is now well appreciated among othermunicipalities, which clearly understandhow this project strategy can help themtoward sustainability. We have receivedmore than 100 applications from othermunicipalities, which have expressedinterest in being included in the thirdphase of UGIIP-2. The governmentwould like to continue this approach inthe future together with ADB and otherdevelopment partners.The goal of UGIIP-2 is to promote human developmentand good urban governance in secondary (medium andsmaller) towns and support them in leading sound andbalanced urban development.UGIIP-2 has two objectives in support of this goal:(i) to develop and improve urban infrastructure facilitiesto increase economic opportunities and to reducevulnerability to environmental degradation, poverty,and natural hazards; and (ii) to enhance accountability inmunicipal management and strengthen the capacities ofurban municipalities to deliver services.The two objectives are to be achieved through the threekey components of UGIIP-2:3The The Urban Urban Governance and and Infrastructure Improvement Project Project in Bangladesh: in Sharing Sharing Knowledge on Community-Driven on Development