HP submits Rs 50 crore development projects to Centre

Shimla, Oct 9 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh's Urban Development Minister Kaul Singh Thakur today said the state government has submitted development projects worth Rs 80 crore to the Centre for approval and sanction.

Speaking in the National Conference of the Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JLNURM) at New Delhi, he said Himachal has submitted projects amounting to Rs 28 crore for construction of pedestrian paths and consequent improvement of Shimla Cart Road and Circular Road for safety and convenience of the pedestrians.

Mr Thakur siad that the Centre has been asked to allocate Rs 27 crore for construction of pedestrian paths and consequent improvement of circular road from Lakkar bazar to town.

Under the project, Rs 18 crore would be spent on construction of link road from Bhumia on circular road to Shanan and Rs five crore would be spent on upgradation of Golf Course from nine holes to eighteen holes in Naldehra in Shimla district.

He said Shimla has been divided into heritage zone, core zone and green belt zone for the sake of development and added that reconstruction in heritage zone was allowed only after getting permission from the council of ministers.

The Himachal Government also regulated cutting of trees to preserve the green belt in the capital, he said.

Seeking financial assistance on the pattern of North-Eastern States and Jammu and Kashmir to the state, he said due to similar geographical and topographical conditions in the state, the Planning Commission has already finalised central assistance norms to the State on the pattern of North East States.

He also opposed the criteria of population basis for providing central assistance under the Mission and said that the peculiar geographical conditions of hill states should also be considered while finalising assistance norms for the states.

The construction of three tunnels was vital for decongestion of traffic in the Shimla town and said that Rs 175 crore were required for providing modern sewerage facilities to the Shimla town, he said.

Mr Thakur, who also holds the state Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) portfolio, said that the state government has entered into MOU with Central Government on December 8, last year under which various reforms have been initiated for overall development of Shimla.

The Himachal Government has also taken legislative action, adoption of double entry system, e-governance, tax reforms and simplifications of legal and administrative framework under the MOU in Shimla Municipal Corporation, he added.

UNI