Nehru Urban Renewal Mission to sanction Rs 500 cr projects

New Delhi, Aug 24 (UNI) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved certain modifications in the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) guidelines, allowing it to appraise and sanction projects costing up to Rs 500 crore.

The sanction will be done with the approval of the Minister of Urban Development or the Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (Independent charge), as the case may be, and the Finance Minister, in each case.

All projects costing above Rs.500 crore will be brought before EFC/CCEA as per the normal procedure, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told reporters after the CCEA meeting.

The government also approved expanding the present composition of Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee for sanctioning projects by incorporating: -- Secretary, Ministry of Finance (Expenditure), Member -- Secretary, Ministry of Environment&Forest, Member -- Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice&Empowerment, Member -- Secretary, Ministry of Health&Family Welfare, Member* -- Secretary, Department of Education, Member* {* Members only in CSMC for Sub-Mission on Basic Services to Urban Poor } The CCEA also approved amending the guidelines of the two Sub-Missions to substitute the words 'the State' with the words 'the Centre and the States' so that the amount of five per cent of Central Grant is available for meeting Administrative and other Expenses by the States as well as Ministry of Urban Development, with a proviso that Central share is capped at one per cent.

This will help in reduction of time in processing the proposals and release of funds, Mr Dasmunsi said.

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