World Bank approves two major digital-infra projects

New Delhi: The World Bank has approved two projects worth a combined $776 million to strengthen digital infrastructure in education and agriculture, a move expected to benefit more than six million people in Punjab and Maharashtra.
Cleared by the World Bank board of executive directors on Tuesday, the initiatives aim to improve learning outcomes in Punjab and boost the incomes of small and marginal farmers in Maharashtra through technology-based solutions.
“Digital infrastructure has the potential to significantly drive economic development and poverty reduction by increasing efficiency, fostering innovation, and improving outcomes in health, education, agriculture and other essential sectors,” said Paul Proccee, acting country director, World Bank India. “The two new projects will support India’s vision of Viksit Bharat through quality education for better jobs and using technology for increased crop productivity and improved livelihoods.”
The Punjab Outcomes-Acceleration in School Education (POISE) programme, totalling $286 million, will deploy digital tools to track learning progress and improve classroom outcomes. The initiative will cover 1.3 million primary-school students and over 2.2 million secondary-school students, with 592,000 children supported in early childhood education. Schools will be equipped with computer labs, tablets and projectors to encourage innovation, especially in science and mathematics.
“Punjab has made considerable effort in improving quality education outcomes. However, systemic challenges remain, affecting the continuity of education reforms,” said Meghna Sharma and Ragnvald Michel Maellberg, task team leaders of POISE. “POISE will help to improve school readiness at pre-primary level, foundational learning at primary level, skills at the secondary level for school to higher education or work transition, as well as teacher training, and school management.”
The second initiative, the $490 million Maharashtra Project on Climate Resilient Agriculture (POCRA) Phase II, will promote precision farming, soil-health improvements and water-use efficiency to enhance crop productivity. The programme will reach more than two million small and marginal farmers — including 290,000 women — across 21 districts, with the goal of increasing the incomes of smallholder farmers by 30%.
“This project will support greater efficiency through data integration, real-time monitoring, remote sensing and AI in agriculture value chains for faster access to markets. Village community groups along with agri-tech startups will guide local investments for better livelihoods,” said task team leaders Ranjan Samantaray and Ademola Braimoh.
The POISE project carries a final maturity of 19 years, including a five-year grace period, while POCRA Phase II has a maturity of 24 years with a six-year grace period.
Both programs mark a continued focus by the World Bank on digital infrastructure as a pathway to inclusive growth in India.