Business Line 20.02.2010
Draft policy favours Karnataka Urban Renewal Mission
Our Bureau
Mangalore, Feb. 19
The Draft Urban Development Policy for Karnataka has suggested the establishment of the Karnataka Urban Renewal Mission to focus on infrastructure development in small and medium cities.
Speaking at a workshop on draft Urban Development Policy for Karnataka here on Friday, Dr A. Ravindra, Advisor to the Karnataka Chief Minister on Urban Affairs, said that not all the cities in the State are eligible for funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Renewal Urban Mission (JNNRUM) scheme. In such a situation, a Karnataka Urban Renewal Mission would help give proper attention to those cities that are now outside the ambit of JNNRUM.
The establishment of Karnataka Urban Renewal Mission is taken up as agenda for action in the draft Urban Development Policy for Karnataka.
The draft policy has also suggested the establishment of metropolitan planning committee for Bangalore, Hubli-Dharwad and Mysore, and district planning committees in other areas.
Replying to a suggestion at the workshop on the need for such a committee for Mangalore, Dr Ravindra said coastal planning committee, including the urban areas of coastal Karnataka, can also be thought of.
REGULATORY AUTHORITY
He said that the draft policy has also suggested the need for the establishment of Urban Services Regulatory Authority.
Stating that services such as drinking water supply, sanitation, solid waste management and transport are the key areas for urban development, Dr Ravindra said a regulatory authority is needed for these services.
Apart from providing services to the poor on a subsidized basis, it is important that an appropriate mechanism should be developed for recovering the cost of water supply, he said.
He said that increase in the number of vehicles on the roads has created problems such as parking and other facilities.
Considering this, the draft policy has suggested the preparation of city mobility plans for all class I cities.
Dr Ravindra said that two such workshops to elicit the opinions of public on the draft urban policy have already been held at Mysore and Hubli. Mangalore is the third city to host such a workshop.
The suggestions of the public will be taken into consideration while coming out with the final Urban Development Policy, he added.
The Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner, Mr V. Ponnuraj, and the Mangalore Mayor, Mr M. Shankar Bhat, were present on the occasion.
