The Times of India 20.08.2009
Reddy warns states lagging behind JNNURM implementation
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday warned states that have not implemented projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) satisfactorily would find it difficult to get financial assistance in future.
Urban development minister S Jaipal Reddy said that the Rs 1 lakh crore urban renewal mission had reached midway in its tenure of seven years and most of this money had been spent. But the implementation has to be effective. "We review the performances of states. Since most of the fund has been utilised, we will try to get an additional amount of Rs 5,000 crore from World Bank for JNNURM next year," Reddy said at a meeting of state urban development secretaries.
Calling for better cohesion among officials of urban civic bodies, the minister said this would go a long way in ensuring quality of projects under the mission. "For this purpose, we conduct a review of JNNURM projects on a periodic basis," he added.
Reddy said the Centre's focus is more on ensuring quality of work being done by urban civic bodies in various cities under JNNURM.
"Since December 2005 when JNNURM started, we have been giving funds to states for implementing projects under the mission. The difficult part of ensuring quality of projects and their effective implementation has now begun. For states that have not done enough, there will be no easy releasing of funds," the UD minister said.
Reddy said that with private vehicular traffic especially cars having increased manifold in metro cities, mainly Delhi, there is a need to think about pedestrians and cyclists.
"When the Delhi government implemented the BRT project, there was a lot of pressure from car owners as the corridor cramped their driving space. We need to withstand their pressure as in urban cities, there is hardly any scope for pedestrians and cyclists. Therefore, we are giving more buses to metro cities," the minister said.
Urban development minister S Jaipal Reddy said that the Rs 1 lakh crore urban renewal mission had reached midway in its tenure of seven years and most of this money had been spent. But the implementation has to be effective. "We review the performances of states. Since most of the fund has been utilised, we will try to get an additional amount of Rs 5,000 crore from World Bank for JNNURM next year," Reddy said at a meeting of state urban development secretaries.
Calling for better cohesion among officials of urban civic bodies, the minister said this would go a long way in ensuring quality of projects under the mission. "For this purpose, we conduct a review of JNNURM projects on a periodic basis," he added.
Reddy said the Centre's focus is more on ensuring quality of work being done by urban civic bodies in various cities under JNNURM.
"Since December 2005 when JNNURM started, we have been giving funds to states for implementing projects under the mission. The difficult part of ensuring quality of projects and their effective implementation has now begun. For states that have not done enough, there will be no easy releasing of funds," the UD minister said.
Reddy said that with private vehicular traffic especially cars having increased manifold in metro cities, mainly Delhi, there is a need to think about pedestrians and cyclists.
"When the Delhi government implemented the BRT project, there was a lot of pressure from car owners as the corridor cramped their driving space. We need to withstand their pressure as in urban cities, there is hardly any scope for pedestrians and cyclists. Therefore, we are giving more buses to metro cities," the minister said.
