The government has secured loans of $313 million for the initial phase of its social action programme (SAP). The funds are being provided by the World Bank ($200 million), the Asian Development Bank ($100 million) and the Dutch government ($13 million).

The total project costs are estimated to be $8,000 million, 75 per cent of which will be met by the government. The project is scheduled to finish in 1997-98, and is focusing on four areas:

Education. About 30,400 new schools will be built and 9,800 existing schools will be renovated. More than 70 per cent of the schools are for girls.

Primary health. Existing facilities will be upgraded and female paramedical workers will be recruited and trained.

Population. Four thousand village family planning workers will be recruited and trained, and 200 additional welfare centres will be established. The number of mobile service units will double to about 250. Population information activities will be strengthened.

Rural water supply and sanitation. Improved rural water supply services will be provided to an additional 18 million people, and improved sanitation to an additional 22 million people.

Negotiations are taking place with the UK's Overseas Development Administration for loans of $18 million for 1995-96. Having approved the scheme in principle, the government now has to allocate its share of the financing from the budget (MEED 27:5:94).