JAIPUR: The state government would be spending Rs 100 crore on repairing city roads and keeping clean 184 municipal towns of Rajasthan. After chief minister Ashok Gehlot expressed his ire over the broken roads and filth-filled streets of Jaipur, the municipal bodies across the state have been directed to accord priority to hygiene and safety.

State chief secretary Salauddin Ahmed met senior UDH officials, municipal officials and engineers for this purpose on Monday. "The officials have been told to speed up road repairss and clean the cities. I shall be monitoring the work to ensure that quality is not compromised," Ahmed said after the meeting.

GS Sandhu, principal secretary (UDH), said, "Wherever needed, the municipalities will be provided extra staff to speed up work. The local bodies have been permitted to outsource the work if they are short of staff." At the same time, thel officials were warned of strict disciplinary action against them if there was laxity.

Sandhu added some private companies were in touch with the government to collect and dispose the garbage. "These companies just want us to provide them the land where they can process and recycle the collected garbage. They won't charge for collecting the garbage from around the cities and transporting it," the officer said, stating outsourcing the work would be beneficial.

The UDH principal secretary emphasised that from now on the district collectors, the Rajasthan housing board officials and agencies like RUIDP would be involved in maintaining roads and keeping the cities clean. "The housing board has been asked to identify the towns where it can take up responsibilities," Sandhu said.

Meanwhile, the hotel, restaurant and sweetshop owners would be made to maintain cleanliness around their establishments or face penalties for defacing the public places.