Failure to hold poll to urban bodies may cost UP aid under JNNURM

New Delhi, July 5 (UNI) The failure of the Uttar Pradesh government to hold election to urban local bodies may prevent it from availing assistance under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

The Centre has imposed the condition that only elected urban bodies would be released asistance under the ambitious scheme to make cities a better habitable place by developing infrastructure.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has urged the Centre to relax this condition so that the state could benefit from the scheme.

Mr Yadav, who had come here to take part in the Regional Consultations on the Approach Paper to the Eleventh Plan (2007-11), told the Centre that owing to ''unavoidable'' circumstances election to urban local bodies could not be completed within stipulated time.

He said under the interim arrangement, district magistrates had been appointed as administrators, so the government should agree to release assistance to them.

Under the Urban Renewal Mission, seven cities and 349 urban bodies would be taken up to develop infrastructure facilities.

UNI NAZ VA DS1210