Mulayam directs for development scheme for 7 cities

Lucknow, Aug 7 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today directed officials to prepare a development scheme for seven cities, costing Rs 650 crore under the Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission Scheme (JLNNURMS) within two weeks and send it to the Centre.

Reviewing the scheme's progress here, Mr Yadav said the proposal be sent with a condition so that local MPs and MLAs could be included in the District Planning Committee/ Metropolitan Committee to be formed for the purpose.

''It will help in maintaining the quality of the proposed works,'' he pointed out.

Directing other departments including urban development, he said they should send their proposals for the assistance to the central government within time.

Besides, to get the second and third instalments released, they should also send utility certificate of the earlier amount.

Mr Yadav claimed the state government had provided funds to 600 urban bodies from the revolving fund for the first time and its impact was now visible. ''The works of lanes and localities will be given special focus, besides the city's throughfares.'' Of the 63 cities selected all over the country under the scheme, seven cities belong to UP viz Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Agra, Mathura and Meerut. Mr Yadav said the state government had provided adequate assistance for urban development besides, the works of rural developments.

UP urban development minister Mohd Azam Khan said during a meeting in New Delhi, the state government had suggested a few amendments, but nothing had been done so far.

''The proposal of this scheme will be sent to the centre with conditions so that the amount to be released this year did not lapse. The works of 14 urban facilities have already been handed over to urban bodies.'' The proposal regarding sewer treatment scheme to be undertaken in Allahabad and Varanasi cities with Japanese cooperation had been sent to the Centre, he added.

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