India - Resilient Action for Development and Disaster Recovery Himachal Pradesh Project

Overview & Synopsis

Resilient Action for Development and Disaster Recovery Himachal Pradesh Project for India has the development objectives of supporting resilient disaster recovery and livelihoods, and increasing state capacities for risk-informed development. Component 1: Institutional Strengthening and Reforms for Resilience includes Sub-component 1.1: Institutional strengthening and reforms of state infrastructure departments, which will establish resilience cells in the Public Works Department (PWD), Jal Shakti Vibhag (JSV), and the Directorate of Energy (DoE); build staff capacity to produce and apply hazard and risk analytics; and develop resilience guidelines for the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of roads, bridges, culverts, water supply, irrigation and sanitation systems, and power assets, along with flood risk assessments and emergency procurement and contract management guidance. Sub-component 1.2: Institutional strengthening and reforms at state level will implement flood plain zoning in selected basins, update Development Control Regulations to reflect risk information, develop a flood Early Warning System (EWS) for protection of infrastructure and communities, and establish a Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (DRFI) framework including a state DRFI strategy and pilot financial instruments to expand coverage for private assets and livelihoods. Component 2: Resilient Infrastructure and Livelihoods Recovery includes Sub-component 2.1: Resilient reconstruction of roads, bridges, and public buildings, which will rehabilitate priority transport corridors with slope stabilization, drainage and road safety features; restore bridges with erosion protection and footbridges; and repair critical public buildings such as hospitals, schools, and multi-purpose relief shelters. Sub-component 2.2: Resilient reconstruction of water supply, sanitation, and irrigation will restore and upgrade schemes using a system approach that addresses siting, multi-hazard risk, full service chains from intakes to end users, and measurable service quality improvements. Sub-component 2.3: Resilient reconstruction of power supply infrastructure will repair and strengthen hydropower assets, transmission and distribution lines, procure emergency restoration systems, and install small solar power plants in selected villages under the Green Panchayat approach to improve service continuity and decentralize supply. Sub-component 2.4: Resilient livelihoods will strengthen and create value chains in twelve business segments across farm, non-farm, and rural tourism by engaging Technical Service Agencies to organize producers into Community Business Organizations (CBO), provide market-led design and skills training, improve product innovation and quality, facilitate market linkages and access to finance, support participation in trade events and order pipelines, and offer a grant facility for CBO-led activities including common facilities, with business continuity planning and disaster preparedness integrated. Component 3: Implementation Support will finance the Project Management Unit (PMU) and Project Implementation Units (PIU), Project Management and Technical Consultants, procurement and contract management information systems, monitoring and evaluation, communications, training, and knowledge exchange to strengthen delivery and institutional capacity. Component 4: Contingent Emergency Response will provide a mechanism to reallocate funds swiftly for eligible crisis or emergency response and recovery, in line with an approved manual and emergency action plan.