BHUBANESWAR: Major
problems of urban poor in city are likely to be solved soon under
‘challenge fund’ project, a programme launched by Union ministry of
housing and urban poverty alleviation last year. The Centre has
identified Bhubaneswar and Bhawanipatna among 40 cities in India under
the programme to improve socio-economic condition of urban poor.
Official sources said the ministry has allocated approximately Rs 51.30
crore under the project.

The challenge fund would help the
cities address major constraints in urban development and specifically
focus on capacity building for successful urban management and poverty
reduction. Technical and financial support will also be extended to
urban local bodies (ULB) for adopting and replicating good practices.

Beneficiaries under the fund will be urban poor and other marginalised
groups, including women, socially- excluded and disadvantageous groups,
pavement-dwellers, disabled and children.

“Urban local bodies
of Bhubaneswar and Bhawanipatna would identify areas and issues of the
urban poor, which need to be addressed under the scheme. Beneficiary
cities can get support for adopting or replicating around four to five
good practices,” housing and urban development (H&UD) department
deputy secretary Anjana Panda told TOI.

Sources said the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation
(BMC) plans to utilize the funds for giving facelift to street vending
in the city. “Since the fund would support best practices of urban local
bodies, we want to utilize it for streamlining street vending,” said a
senior BMC officer. “Besides, we will also prepare a plan seeking funds
for improving health and sanitation in slums,” the officer said.

The beneficiary cities have been asked to rope in civil society groups,
research and academic institutions and private sector in taking up
innovative poverty alleviation projects. The project proposals should be
innovative in nature, where innovativeness is defined as an initiative,
which may either be a totally new concept or may have a new approach
towards an existing solution, said another H&UD department officer.

The challenge fund will be operational till June, 2016. The Centre has
formed a core management unit for overall management of the fund.