HP Government misleading people on JLNURM, says Dhumal

Shimla, May 5 (UNI) Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today accused the state government of misleading people on the Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JLNURM), saying Shimla will receive a sum of Rs 225 crore under the mission.

Instead of Rs 1,500 crore, as being publicised by the State Congress Government, Shimla will only receive a sum of Rs 225 crore, he said here.

Mr Dhumal said the town was included in the mission on the basis of ''Vision 2020'' document handed over to the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his trip to the state in 2002.

The towns and cities have been divided into three categories under the mission with seven cities including Delhi and Mumbai being in the first, cities and towns with population between 10 to 40 lakh in the second and towns with population with less then 10 lakh in the third category, he said.

He said the government claims that Shimla town was included in the scheme due to their efforts had no merit.

Since Rs 6,250 crore have to be divided into 28 towns and cities, spread over seven years, Shimla town would only be allotted a sum of Rs 225 crore, he said.

Besides, he said Himachal was not received a single paise under the scheme, which was being implemented since 2005-06.

The BJP leader said the state government has to spend the allotted money during the next five years and would depend on changes in the state government and the Shimla Municipal Corporation.

While the state government was claiming to spend a sum of Rs 600 crore on improving drinking water supply in Shimla, in reality it would only be receiving anything between Rs 224 to Rs 300 crore under the scheme for sewerage, roads, construction of parking lots, beautification of the town and creating other infrastructure facilities, Mr Dhumal added.

UNI