New Delhi: World Bank is expected to extend $ 2.5 billion loans to India this fiscal, which is lower than the targeted $ 3 billion annually during 2004-07.

World Bank loans are expected to cover projects of Power Grid Corporation, National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

"This fiscal, our assistance would be about $ 2.5 billion. Our thrust areas are infrastructure, human resource development and rural livelihood," World Bank country director Michael Carter said on the sidelines of a function in New Delhi today (Sep 22, 2004).

The Bank is on an advanced preparatory work for extending $ 300-500 million to Power Grid for building a national power transmission system, he said.

NHPC is also in talks with the Bank for obtaining loans for its expansion.

The Bank would extend $ 600 million to NHAI within a few months for completing the Lucknow-Muzaffarpur stretch of the Golden Quadrilateral project, Carter said.

It is also in talks with Government for providing assistance for e-Governance project.

On assistance towards social sectors, Carter said World Bank provided $ 500 million for the universal education scheme 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan' last fiscal.

"Similar assistance is under our consideration for India's Reproductive and Child Health programme," he said, adding the loan could be about $ 300 million.

The Bank is also thinking of extending more funds for the existing schemes on diseases like AIDS, TB, Malaria and Polio.