Urban Renewal Mission to repair collapsing infrastructure in cities

New Delhi, July 17 (UNI) Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy today said Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission has been launched as infrastructure in most cities of the country was collapsing under the weight of increasing population in urban areas.

Speaking at a meeting of the consultative committee attached to the ministry, under his chairmanship, he said to renew the infrastructure of 63 selected cities the Centre had launched the JLNURM with a sum of Rs 50,000 crore.

He told the Members that since the launch of the Mission the Urban Development Ministry had conducted seminars and workshops to bring awareness about the mission among state government officials and urban local bodies.

Mr Reddy said since the launch of the Mission, the ministry had approved 18 city development plans, CDPs and 53 detailed project reports.

He informed the consultative committee members about the salient features of the mission which was launched on December 3, 2005. He told them that the project work on Bangalore Metro had been started with Prime Minister laying the foundation stone.

He said Mumbai Metro Project Foundation Stone was also laid. The minister said phase II work of Delhi Metro costing Rs 8,118 crore had been approved.

Mr Reddy informed the Members that extension of Delhi Metro to areas of National Capital Region like Gurgaon, Noida were under consideration.

He also briefed them about the demolition of over 2500 unauthorised structures and sealing of some illegal structures in the capital and subsequent enactment of the Delhi Laws (special provisions) Act 2006.

Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken and Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja and 11 Lok Sabha and four Rajya Sabha members, including two special invitees, and senior officials of both the ministries were present at the occasion.

The chairman of the committee told the members that some states were lagging behind in submitting the city development plans and detailed project reports. He urged the members to impress upon state governments to submit their city development plans for accessing funds under the mission.

Some consultative committee's members were of the opinion that the Centre should allocate money under the mission for purchase of land in order to build houses for the poor.

They also asked for more funds for infrastructure development in small and medium towns to arrest the exodus people from rural and town areas to cities.

One Member suggested that Hussain Sugar Lake in Hyderabad and another lake in Bhopal should be preserved and maintained as mission projects. A Delhi MP suggested that National Capital Region could be taken as one unit for considering infrastructure development. A woman MP suggested doing away with stamp duty for women. Issues like urban land ceiling Act, water harvesting, drinking water supply, sanitation, basic facilities to poor and slum dwellers were also raised by the members.

Speaking on the occasion, Kumari Selja said urban poor were living in subhuman conditions. The development of cities should be seen not only in the form of raising infrastructure but the cities poor should be provided basic services.

She said her ministry had sanctioned nine projects under the sub plan to provide basic services to urban poor.

Under Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme, Ms Selja said her ministry had sanctioned three projects. She urged the members to request their state governments to send city development plans for the benefit of the poor people.

UNI IP YA DB2129