The Financial Express 18.08.2009
Roy pulls up state for not utilising JNNURM funds
Kolkata: At a time when the central government is flooded with projects from states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, the West Bengal government has not been able to submit its plans for projects worth Rs 1700 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for lack of initiative.
Even though the state has submitted projects worth Rs 1200 crore, it is yet to implement around 40% of it, said Saugata Roy, Union minister of state for urban development. He was speaking at an interactive session organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce (BNCCI) here on Monday.
“The state has submitted 39 projects under the JNNURM. Most of these projects are earmarked for developing transport infrastructure in the city. But they didn't progress. Moreover, the state has missed the important aspect of the JNNURM. It did not focus on the projects for providing people with basic amenities like drinking water plant, drainage-sewerage upgradation and the solid waste management,” Roy alleged.
According to norms laid down by the Centre, 35% of the project cost will be borne by the Centre while the remaining 65% will be provided by the state government and urban local bodies.
Roy said Rs 3,018 crore was sanctioned for Kolkata and Asansol under JNNURM while Haldia and Siliguri, which the state government wanted to include, did not qualify as they had less then one million population.
While Maharashtra is implementing JNNURM schemes for six cities, Bengal is lagging far behind in carrying out urban development projects, Roy added.
