M Asnikumar leads LDA team in workshop celebrating 25 years of ADB partnership with Madhya Pradesh Government

Bhopal, Sep 25
M Asnikumar Singh, Chairman of the Loktak Development Authority (LDA), led the LDA delegation at a significant workshop held to mark the 25th anniversary of the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) partnership with the Government of Madhya Pradesh (GoMP) from 24-25 Sept 2024 at Taj Lakefront, Bhopal. The workshop, which also served as the platform for the Tripartite Portfolio Review Meeting (TPRM), took place in Bhopal on Tuesday.
Jointly organised by ADB, the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Government of India, and the Government of Madhya Pradesh, the event featured a series of presentations and knowledge-sharing sessions. These highlighted how ADB and the Government of Madhya Pradesh have collaborated over the last 25 years to drive economic growth and sustainable development in the state.
Senior officials in attendance included Ms Mio Oka, Country Director, ADB India Resident Mission; senior representatives from DEA, Government of India; the Government of Madhya Pradesh; officials from various other states; and prominent figures from leading financial institutions and expert organisations/agencies.
The workshop covered a range of critical topics, including the energy sector with a focus on climate resilience, renewable energy, water conservation, low carbon transition , urban development, agriculture, food, nature capital and rural development (including nature and green financing), human,  social development,  Bamboo Value Chain Project in North East India including Manipur , as well as public sector management and governance.
On the sidelines of the workshop, the LDA team engaged with experts to discuss the pressing issue of the adverse impact caused by the Ithai Barrage, part of the Loktak Hydel Project operated by NHPC Ltd since 1983, on the ecosystem, socio-economic conditions, and cultural fabric of Loktak Lake. This issue has escalated into a critical concern for the lake's survival and the livelihoods of the communities who depend on it. Chairman  M Asnikumar Singh emphasised the urgent need to conduct a thorough post-environmental impact assessment, as recommended by various experts, to implement effective measures for safeguarding the lake's future.
During the event, the LDA presented updates on its proposed 'Sustainable Loktak Lake Ecological Restoration, Livelihood and Eco-Tourism Project,' which is set to receive funding and technical support from ADB.
Public Works Department (PWD) team from Manipur, led by  Ksh Robert Singh, Secretary, Public Works Department, Government of Manipur, also delivered a presentation on the status of the Imphal Ring Road Project.
The Loktak Development Authority (LDA) further emphasised recent initiatives led by the Government of Manipur, under the leadership of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, aimed at improving the ecological condition of Loktak Lake. These efforts include the findings of the Expert Advisory Committee's report and the recent approval of the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) for the WISE use of Loktak Lake by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change,Govt of India, a plan that has been endorsed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The recommendations and initiatives outlined in the IMP are integral to LDA's ongoing mission to restore and safeguard the lake. In addition, ADB and LDA are actively collaborating on strategies to finalise the report in accordance with the Aide Memoire (AM)  prepared by ADB in last year .
M Asnikumar Singh appealed to Mio Oka and senior ADB officials to expedite the approval process for the 'Sustainable Loktak Lake Ecological Restoration, Livelihood and Eco-Tourism Project,' expressing optimism for ADB's continued support in protecting Loktak Lake. He also highlighted the vision of Prime Minister  Narendra Modi and Chief Minister  N Biren Singh to transform Loktak Lake into an iconic wetland site of global significance.