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VMC requires Rs. 556 cr. for JNNURM works

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Source : The Hindu Date : 30.06.2009

VMC requires Rs. 556 cr. for JNNURM works

G.V.R. Subba Rao

The corporation’s share varies from one project to the other

 


Projects worth Rs. 1,418.65 crores sanctioned for the city

Its share for BRTS crosses half-way mark


VIJAYAWADA: It is now more than clear that the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC)’s share in the projects taken up under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in the city is likely to reach Rs.556 crores. Projects of a total value of Rs.1418.65 crores have been sanctioned for the city under the JNNURM.

The VMC’s share varies from one project to the other. For instance, the corporation would have to pool in at least 37 per cent of the total cost of the projects taken up under the Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP), a sub-mission under the JNNURM and 44 per cent of the cost of all projects taken up under the Urban Infrastructure and Governance (UIG), the other sub-mission. The share crosses half-way mark for the prestigious Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project, for which it would have to bear 58 per cent. Officials estimate that these percentages translate into a burden of Rs. 556 crores for the VMC.

The Central government has so far sanctioned projects worth Rs. 645.57 crores under the BSUP, including housing for the poor, while Rs. 75.33 crores has been sanctioned for the UIG projects. The BRTS project costs Rs. 152.64 crores.

Cost escalation

The corporation is forced to shoulder the escalation cost in the housing project though it has been initiated by the State government. The VMC is hoping that the State government will release the escalation cost. The ruling Congress too claims that the State government would release the funds. Officials say if the State government shares the burden of cost escalation of housing projects, the corporation’s share could come down to Rs. 277 crores.

The State government, as reported earlier, has taken shelter under the official jargon and decided to treat a major portion of its share as loan, as a result of which the corporation’s share in JNNURM projects will go up to 48 per cent, instead of 30 per cent as mentioned in the guidelines issued by the Centre.

The JNNURM guidelines mandate the State government to provide 20 per cent of the cost of a project proposed by a local body as its share. However, as the guidelines have used the term ‘loan-cum-grant’, the government is gearing up to divide its 20 per cent share into two parts -- 18 per cent as loan and the remaining 2 per cent as a grant.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 June 2009 05:37
 

Surface transport, overbridges to get focus in Corporation Budget

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Source : The Hindu Date : 28.06.2009

Surface transport, overbridges to get focus in Corporation Budget

Staff Reporter

Shows revenue of Rs. 865 crore, surplus of Rs. 30 crore

KOCHI: The Corporation budget, which was presented by the Deputy Mayor C.K. Manisankar at the Council here on Saturday, laid stress on initiating action on projects that have been discussed for long.

He presented a surplus budget of Rs. 30.54 crore, with revenue of Rs. 865.45 crore and expenditure of Rs. 834.91 crore.

One of the highlights of this year’s budget was the projects announced for improving the efficiency of functioning of the Corporation. This includes the double entry account system for financial management to asset management monitoring information system.

Steps would be taken to have a public disclosure system in place, through which the public can get details of Corporation’s activities. Another area given importance in the budget is improvement of surface transport. Public committees are being formed for implementation of road projects, which will have local councillor, former councillors and prominent personalities in the region as members, Mayor Mercy Williams said, as she addressed the media after the budget presentation.

The budget had a mention about operating 200 buses under the Special Purpose Vehicle project to be started in association with the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation. When pointed out that the KSRTC is not keen for tie-ups with Corporation, Ms. Williams said that dissociating Corporation would mean disaster, as funds under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission would be released only through local bodies.

In his budget speech, Mr. Manisankar said that KITCO has been asked to prepare detailed project reports for railway overbridges at Pachalam, Atlantis, Ponnurunni, Mullassery Canal and Willington Island, flyover at Sahodaran Ayyappan Road and bridges at Island-Edakochi and Kannangatt.

Funds have been identified for overbridges at Ponnurunni, Pachalam and Atlantis and land acquisition works are progressing. Land acquired for Ponnurunni overbridge has been handed over to Roads and Bridges Corporation.

This year’s budget marked out Rs. one crore as road maintenance emergency fund. Mr. Manisankar said that 98.85 km out of the roads under the Corporation were tarred during the last financial year.

Funds have been marked out in the budget for improving the drainage system in the city. As much as Rs. 102.07 crore has been identified under the JNNURM-KSUDP project for completing a modern sewerage system for the whole city area.

The Corporation has marked out Rs. 201.17 crore for drinking water distribution project and Rs. 9.2 crore for solid waste management, which included preparation of solid waste management bylaw, completion of Refuse Derived Fuel plant, effluent treatment plant, procuring fogging machine and vehicles. It was also suggested that the master plan for the city would be completed this year itself.

The social welfare projects that found mention in the budget were EMS housing scheme, building basic infrastructure for slum dwellers, constructing twin houses at fishermen colony, renovation of SRM colony and completion of the housing scheme.

Last Updated on Sunday, 28 June 2009 12:38
 

Solid waste management authority mooted

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Source : The Hindu Date : 28.06.2009

Solid waste management authority mooted

Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The former IAS official Philipose Thomas has mooted a solid waste management authority for better coordination between those involved in waste management and the local bodies.

Speaking at a seminar on solid waste management organised by New Media and the Global Forum for Disaster Reduction in the capital on Friday, Mr. Thomas suggested that the ideal way to overcome the problem was not to generate waste.

The former IAS official pointed out that 50 per cent of the waste generated in the country was paper. Making offices paperless and use of both sides of paper for writing would result in less wastage.

He also stressed the need for creating awareness among the public and the children to overcome the problem.

Associate vice-president, marketing and business development, JCB, Amit Gossain, called for the effective use of technology to overcome the problem. Machines should be effectively used and integrated solid waste management should be adopted.

Adopting 4 R’s - refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle - segregation of waste at source, creating awareness and including waste management in the curriculum were some of the steps mooted by him. “Public-private partnership in waste management will go a long way as the government cannot do it alone,” he added.

Vice-president of IL&FS Waste & Urban Services Ltd. Kapil Gupta said it was time to set scientific landfills in the country. “Those in the country are just dumping yards and they look like mountains.”

According to him, e-waste, bio-medical waste and construction and demolition waste will have to be addressed in the coming days.

The IL&FS, in association with Delhi Municipal Corporation, is setting up a 500-tonne construction and demolition waste plant, which is expected to commence functioning in August.

Director of Science Technology & Entrepreneurship Development Project Mohanan Manalil said 6,000 tonnes of waste was being generated daily in the five corporations, 53 municipalities and 999 panchayats in the State.

Last Updated on Sunday, 28 June 2009 12:36
 


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