Washington, Nov. 25, 2025-The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved two projects in India that will benefit more than 6 million people by using innovative digital solutions to improve the quality of education in Punjab state and boost incomes for small and marginal farmers in Maharashtra state.
"Digital infrastructure has the potential to significantly drive economic development and poverty reduction by increasing efficiency, fostering innovation, and improving outcomes in health, education, agriculture and other essential sectors," said Paul Proccee, Acting Country Director, World Bank India. "The two new projects will support India's vision of Viksit Bharat through quality education for better jobs and using technology for increased crop productivity and improved livelihoods."
The Punjab Outcomes-Acceleration in School Education Operation (POISE) program ($286 million) will help improve quality education in Punjab with the aid of technology to track learning outcomes. It will ensure 1.3 million students are enrolled in primary schools, and more than 2.2 million students are enrolled in secondary schools. In addition, 592,000 students will be supported in early childhood education. POISE will support digital infrastructure in schools by setting up computer labs, tablets and projectors to foster innovation, especially for students enrolled in science and math curriculum.
"Punjab has made considerable effort in improving quality education outcomes. However, systemic challenges remain, affecting the continuity of education reforms," said Meghna Sharma and Ragnvald Michel Maellberg, the task teams leaders of the program. "POISE will help to improve school readiness at pre-primary level, foundational learning at primary level, skills at the secondary level for school to higher education or work transition, as well as teacher training, and school management."
The Maharashtra Project on Climate Resilient Agriculture (POCRA) Phase II ($490 million) project will enhance crop productivity and strengthen resilience by adopting digital technology in precision farming practices. This method uses technology to ensure that the crops and soil receive exactly what they need for optimum health and productivity, thereby maximizing output and preventing waste. More than 2 million small and marginal farmers in Maharashtra, of which 290,000 are women, will benefit from improved soil health, nutrient management, and water-use efficiency. It will help improve climate resilience and raise income levels by 30 percent for smallholder farmers across 21 districts in Maharashtra.
"This Project will support greater efficiency through data integration, real-time monitoring, remote sensing and AI in agriculture value chains for faster access to markets. Village community groups along with agri-tech startups will guide local investments for better livelihoods," said Ranjan Samantaray and Ademola Braimoh, task team leaders of the project.
The POISE project has a final maturity of 19 years including a grace period of five years and POCRA Phase II project has a final maturity of 24 years, including a grace period of 6 years.
