US, Japan to aid power reform

New Delhi: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation on Thursday (JBIC) signed a formal agreement of cooperation to support development and accelerate reform efforts in the Indian power sector. JBIC (India) Chief Representative, Mr Kikuo Nakagawa, and USAID's India Mission Director, Mr George Deikun, signed the agreement, a US Embassy statement said.

The agreement would help further the country's power sector agendas to advance infrastructure and rural development to the poor, the statement said. The agencies would work together in areas of alternative financing of rural electrification projects, joint pilot projects in distribution reform and upgrades, capacity development of power sector professionals and sharing of knowledge and best practices.