Centre approves city development plan for Shimla

Shimla, Mar 18 (UNI) The Centre has approved the city development plan for Shimla town of Himachal Pradesh, Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Minister Kaul Singh Thakur has said.

Addressing a high-level ministerial meeting on Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JLNURM) in Delhi yesterday, he said the state has also signed a number of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with the Centre for undertaking various town development projects.

Mr Thakur said the Centre has sanctioned Rs 22.70 crore solid waste management project, which received the Centre's assent on March nine.

Several other pending developmental projects for the town would also be sanctioned by the Centre soon, he said.

He said the Centre has also decided to reduce stamp duty in the town to five per cent during the next financial year besides introducing double entry system of accounts in the Shimla Municipal areas from April one.

Observing that rainwater harvesting has been made mandatory for all the new buildings in the Shimla municipal area, Mr Thakur said the government was also encouraging public private partnership for the town developmental projects.

Construction of inter state bus stand, subzi mandi, commercial complex and parking was being undertaken through public-private partnership and on Built, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis, he said.

Mr Thakur called for similar funding pattern of 90:10 for Himachal and Uttaranchal just like the special category states of north east and Jammu and Kashmir in the JLNURM and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT).

He also urged the Centre to increase the per unit cost of a house for hilly areas under the integrated housing and slum development programmes to Rs two lakh from Rs 90,000 at present.

UNI