India must focus on improving preparedness for proposed projects and work on maintaining a good track record of past projects to better use the fullest potential of the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) offered by Japan, a senior official from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has said.

“The resources of JICA are not unlimited and it also has accountability to taxpayers. If India focusses on improving, then it acts as a strong weapon for JICA to convince the Japanese government and society to support funding for more projects,” said Sakamoto Takema, Director General, South Asia Department, JICA at a webinar on Japan ODA to India organised by ICRIER on Friday.

Prosperity mission

Noting that India was the largest recipient of the ODA loan support from the country, Takema said that JICA, which provides the ODA, has a mission of promoting quality growth for prosperity with more jobs and investments, and human security focussed on health, environment and social protection.

He said that it was important for the country to have one priority list representing the entire Indian government as many a times the Chief Ministers of different States have come up with various lists of projects, and it was difficult to choose between them.

Clear planning

Elaborating on the need for better preparedness, Takema said that while suggesting projects to JICA, there has to be enough work done on specifics such as detailed project reports, budget, land availability, environment impact assessment, etc. He recalled a particular project that was suggested by the Indian government but it could not be executed as new challenges cropped up.

“Much has changed since Japan extended its first ODA to India in 1958 and today India is an emerging power,” said Sanjay Kumar Verma, Indian Ambassador to Japan.

More infra

“We need to look at redefining the terms and conditions of the Japanese ODA to India,” he said, adding that the two countries should also work on essential infrastructures such as digital cables, submarine cable and ICT network.

Verma pointed out that a project to install an undersea optical submarine cable system for high-speed internet connecting Andaman and Nicobar Islands to mainland India were underway.“The changing needs of India is something that needed to be kept in the picture while formulating requests for new ODA,” said Verma.

He also said that the ODA created a win-win situation because not only did it help India meet its infrastructure and other needs, it also helped Japan to meet its sustainable development goals.