The Indian Express                       26.03.2013

Fearing lapse of JNNURM funds, PMC pushes for Phase II projects

With funds allocated in the first phase of JNNURM likely to lapse,
the Pune Municipal Corporation is pushing projects proposed in Phase II
to begin so that they get the funds with immediate effect.

The Centre-deputed JNNURM team last week reviewed the projects
being implemented by PMC under Phase-I. “The team visited the BRTS
project site and Pashan lake, both being implemented under JNNURM,” said
Additional Municipal Commissioner Anup Kumar Yadav. He said the team
expressed satisfaction over their implementation, while calling for fast
completion of projects within the extended deadline.

The issue of funds, still pending with the Union government, was
raised in the meeting, Yadav said. “Most of the money for the ongoing
projects has been received by PMC and funds that could not take off is
pending with the government. The JNNURM team informed the civic officers
that the allocation would lapse if not used.”

It was decided that the PMC should push for projects that were
proposed in Phase II to avail funding from the Phase I allocation.

“We have re-worked three such projects proposed in Phase II and
sent it to Union government for considering it to be included in Phase I
allocation. This will ensure that the money sanctioned to PMC does not
get lapse for not being used,” he added.

Fortunately, the detailed project report (DPR) of three projects
of Phase II were ready and they could be sent for inclusion in Phase I.
Three are of the water department, which includes a tunnel from Parvati
to Cantonment Water Works, expansion of the water purification plant at
Vadgaon Budhruk and implementation of the ambitious project of metering
water supply.

The PMC was allocated funds for slum rehabilitation projects in
Warje, Nagar road and rehabilitation of hawkers but the projects could
not be started due to failure of acquiring land for the projects.

Meanwhile, the PMC has prepared the City Development Plan (CDP)
for the Phase-II of JNNURM as per the directions of government and in
this endeavour had organised a number of workshops. The exercise
continued for a year. Heads of all the departments of the PMC were asked
to propose civic projects to upgrade infrastructure in the city keeping
in mind the need for the next 40 years.

The civic administration took into consideration the expected
population growth in the next 40 years while preparing the CDP. The
exercise included discussion of problems faced during implementation of
projects under Phase-I. “We also invited public suggestions for CDP and
would be including them in the draft. Also, the suggestions of
corporators will be added after discussion in the general body and then
only would be sent to union government,” Yadava said.