Andhra Pradesh cyclone emergency reconstruction project
Report No: ; Type: Report/Evaluation Memorandum ; Country: India; Region: South Asia; Sector: Other Agriculture; Major Sector: Agriculture;
                                                        ProjectID: P010362


India: Andhra Pradesh Cyclone Emergency Reconstruction Project (Credit 2179/Loan 3260-IN)

The India Andhra Pradesh Cyclone Emergency Reconstruction project was approved in FY91. It was supported by
Credit 2179- IN for US$170 million equivalent and Loan 3260-IN for US$40 million. In addition, US$55 million
was reallocated from an ongoing project (Second Andhra Pradesh Irrigation project). The project was closed on
time in FY94 and final disbursements under the Credit and Loan were made in July 1993 and March 1994,
respectively. The
Implementation Completion Report (ICR) was prepared by the FAO/World Bank Cooperative Program. The
Borrower also prepared an evaluation report.

The project included physical, institutional and planning objectives. The physical objective was by far the most
important and aimed to accelerate restoration of damaged assets and lost productivity caused by the May 1990
cyclone. The institutional and planning objectives aimed to strengthen cyclone preparedness and mitigation
capabilities and to update plans for irrigation modernization in the coastal zone of Andhra Pradesh. Project
components covered reconstruction and rehabilitation of: irrigation and drainage works (34 percent of base costs);
roads and bridges (28 percent); cyclone shelters (2 percent); electricity transmission lines (12 percent); agriculture
and fisheries facilities (7 percent); rural water supplies (3 percent); municipal services (3 percent); public buildings
(2 percent); coastal shelter belts (2 percent); and housing (3 percent). Technical assistance to support the planning
and institutional objectives accounted for 4 percent of project base costs.

The project substantially achieved most of its physical and institutional objectives, with fisheries and coastal
shelter belts being notable exceptions. The project did not achieve its planning objective, as the necessary studies
were not carried out. Project implementation, initially slow, accelerated rapidly once the institutional arrangements
were firmly established. Construction was generally of a high standard. Project management was excellent and a
strong institutional framework for project implementation was created. This framework is being maintained and
will help the implementation of future projects. Future sustainability is being compromised by lack of operation
and maintenance funding for project works and limited beneficiary participation in project operations.

The Operations Evaluation Department agrees with the ICR in rating project outcome as satisfactory, sustainability
as uncertain and institutional development as substantial. Bank performance, as in the ICR, is rated satisfactory.
The ICR is satisfactory. It describes the project experience and outcome well, but it does not include the
borrower's evaluation report or a summary thereof.

This evaluation once again shows that emergency projects are successful when the project design is appropriate,
and there is strong government commitment, political support, effective institutional arrangements, and simple and
flexible procurement procedures. The very nature of emergency projects normally ensures that these preconditions
are met. The project also shows that sustainability requires an appropriate process of hand over to regular line
departments/agencies and adequate post-implementation maintenance. No audit is planned.