First Resilient Kerala Programme

The First Resilient Kerala is an initiative to enhance the Kerala’s resilience against the impacts of natural disasters and climate change.

Why the Programme has been initiated?

There was a severe impact on property, infrastructure, lives and livelihoods of people aftermath of 2018 floods and landslides. Due to this large scale destruction about 5.4 million people – were affected while 1.4 million were displaced from their homes. The First Resilient Kerala is an initiative of the Kerala government in association with government of India and the World Bank to build resilience against disasters.

Features of the Programme

• Improved river basin planning and water infrastructure operations management, water supply and sanitation services.
• Resilient and sustainable agriculture, enhanced agriculture risk insurance.
• Improved resilience of the core road network.
• Unified and more up-to-date land records in high-risk areas.
• Risk-based urban planning and strengthened expenditure planning by urban local bodies.
• Strengthened fiscal and public financial management capacity.

First Resilient Kerala is maiden State partnership of the World Bank in India. It is also the first of two development policy operations to mainstream disaster and climate resilience into critical infrastructure and services.

A loan agreement of $250 million has been signed by the Government of India, Government of Kerala, and the World Bank for the Resilient Kerala Programme. The aid will be made available to the state of Kerala as budgetary support through the Department of Economic Affairs and the State will have the flexibility for disbursing the funds for achieving targets set under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative.