The Hindu       19.09.2014  

Semi-urban towns poised for industrialisation

With the rising aspirations of local people, the semi-urban towns are looking for avenues for increased development in terms of businesses and industries for creating more job opportunities for the educated youth and coming generations.

Kavali is one such town in Nellore district where a variety of resources are identified for development of small and medium industries.

During the recent visit of APIIC chairman P. Krishnaiah, leaders of Kavali, including Capital Committee member B. Mastan Rao made representations to him seeking creation of necessary infrastructural facilities for boosting industrial growth. They referred to the Maddurupadu industrial hub as a clear example of how the small and medium industries are not able to promise higher growth potential due to lack of proper facilities.

Over 25 industries are located in this industrial hub and they have immense potential if there is 24X7 power supply besides other infrastructural facilities. The APIIC chairman promised to look into their plea by arranging for an electric sub station there soon.

Industrialists in Kavali said it was a matter of comfort for them considering the promise of many projects such as the Dagadarthi airport and the Ramayapatnam port in their town’s vicinity. The local education youth would benefit enormously by these projects and the only thing was that they need to be trained.

The government is stated to have come out with the State Skill Development Centre, which will reach out to the youth in rural and semi-urban towns in due course of time. People in towns like Kavali are expected to derive maximum benefit out of these initiatives.

(Reporting by

G. Ravikiran)

The Times of India        17.09.2014  

Meeting at VDA to discuss city’s makeover today

Varanasi: For urban makeover of Modi's Banaras a three-day meeting will be held at Varanasi Development Authority from Wednesday. The meeting has been called to discuss various issues to be incorporated in new city development plan under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

Now, a revised City Development Plan (CDP) will be prepared for the implementation of development works under JNNURM. According to environment officer under JNNURM, Shailendra Tripathi, besides the civic problems like drainage, sewage, transportation, development of urban poor, the issues of heritage, tourism, water conservation, energy saving, encroachments, greenery upgradation, purification of ponds, smart traffic system, beautification of parks and renovation of buildings will also be discussed during the meeting. According to Tripathi, all the components relating to city's development have been categorized into different categories.

The meeting will be attended by members of CRISIL Infrastructure Advisory and members from Capacity Building of Urban Development (CBUD), an intensive unit of Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) along with the officials of government agencies, educational experts, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders. CRISIL Infrastructure Advisory's team of urban sector experts, who tied up with the MoUD, have been mandated by MoUD to appraise reforms under the JNNURM programme.

The old CDP was prepared in 2007 but as per the guidelines of Government of India in 2011, there is a need of revised CDP, Tripathi added.