Tripartite agreement signed for Euro700,000

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) funds, supports and accelerates the transitions to a fairer and more sustainable world, has agreed to provide a grant of Euro700,000 for railway station developments in India.

AFD and French Railways SNCF, have signed a Tripartite Agreement for the grant with the Indian Railway Station Development Corporation (IRSDC) on 10 June 2019.

Under this agreement, the in-kind grant financing up to 700,000 EURO, through French National Railways (SNCF)-Hubs and Connexions as a Technical Partner to IRSDC, is to support the Railway Station Development Program in India.

This will impose no financial liability on IRSDC or Indian Railways, said the Ministry of Railways in a release on 11 June 2019.

Speaking on this grant signing occasion, Suresh Angadi, Minister of State of Railways, said: “India and France have a strong and long standing prosperous partnership in the Railway sector.

“French Railways (SNCF) in the past has been associated with Indian Railways in conducting speed upgradation study for Delhi-Chandigarh section and station development of Ludhiana & Ambala stations.

“I am sure that this effort will go a long way in further strengthening Indo-French cooperation and will help Indian Railways in positioning its stations to world class standards.”

The agreement was signed by Suresh Angadi and Jean Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister of State, Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Government of France as well as Alexandre Ziegler, Ambassador of France in India.

AFD focuses on climate, biodiversity, peace, education, urban development, health and governance. It has more than 4,000 projects in France’s overseas departments and territories and other 115 countries. fiinews.com