In a step forward in the Bilateral Development Cooperation between India and Cambodia, another milestone was added on September 27, 2021, when H.E. Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Minister of State of External Affairs, Government of India along with H.E. Dr. Ouk Rabun, Minister of Rural Development, Royal Kingdom of Cambodia, presided over the handover ceremony of the final phase of the Project for “Supply and installation of 1500 hand pumps for augmentation of Rural Water Supply in Cambodia”.
The government of India financed the implementation of the project through a 100% grant. The project was executed by Water and Power Consultancy Services (India) Limited (WAPCOS), a Government of India Undertaking (under the aegis of the Ministry of Water Resources). The project led to the supply and installation of 1500 Hand pumps in 2 provinces of Cambodia, namely Tboung Khmum and Banteay Meanchey.
The project started in 2017 and ended in 2020. By 2 September 2020, all the 1500 hand pumps were installed and handed over to the community for their daily use. However, the handover completion ceremony could not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation.
This project would lead to the availability of a safe drinking water supply and improvement of health in the targeted communities, in the critical villages in Cambodia. A rural population of nearly 4,00,000 in 433 villages are benefited by this project and has led to increasing in population coverage with safe drinking water from 27% to 40%.
India looks forward to being a vital partner in Cambodia’s economic development, through a continuation of capacity-building efforts, financial support in terms of grants & concessional loans.
The Government of India continues to support and collaborate with various Ministries, Departments of the Royal Government of Cambodia under various bilateral and multilateral frameworks for the socio-economic development of Cambodia and its people, especially when both countries are marking 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2022, which also coincidentally marks the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-India Sectoral Partnership, 25th Anniversary of Dialogue Partnership, 20th Anniversary of Summit-level Partnership and 10 years of Strategic Partnership. Such people-centric projects not only positively impact the lives of needy local communities but also immensely contribute towards strengthening the existing bonds of friendship between the two countries.
Source: India in Cambodia (Embassy of India, Phnom Penh)
