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90% urban infrastructure projects under JNNURM completed: RMC

Friday, 19 July 2013 10:19 administrator
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The Indian Express                19.07.2013

90% urban infrastructure projects under JNNURM completed: RMC

The Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) has completed around 90 per cent of projects under the Central government-sponsored Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for upgrading urban infrastructure and services since 2006.

"Most of our projects have been completed within the given time limit," RMC Commissioner Ajay Bhadoo said, addressing a meeting of representatives of municipal corporations in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Orissa. The meeting marked the beginning of a two-day exposure visit of Rajkot by eight civic officials from the three states. They included civic officials from Lucknow, Kanpur, Asansol and Bhubaneshwar. The delegates visited water treatment plant in Raiyadhar, sewage treatment plant in Raiya and call centre in west zone office of the RMC.

The tour, called Peer Experience and Reflective Learning (PEARL), is organised by National Institute of Urban Affairs, a premier urban research body based in New Delhi. PEARL is an initiative under JNNURM to "support cities to actively pursue activities in implementation of projects and reforms".

Chirag Pandya, head of JNNURM Cell of RMC, said Rajkot was selected for the tour due to its good record in implementing JNNURM projects. In a presentation, Pandya said the city was awarded 11 projects worth Rs 804 crore so far. These included housing projects (Rs 193 crore) for economically weaker section (EWS) and two projects each for water supply, sewerage, solid waste management, and road and transport.

Of the total funds received under JNNURM, 33 per cent were being spent on sewage projects, 24 per cent on housing and 20 per cent on water supply. The remaining 17 per cent were allocated for road and transport and six per cent for solid waste management, he said.

Pandya said RMC had completed majority of JNNURM projects of urban infrastructure and governance. The civic body has completed water supply projects worth Rs 83 crore. BRTS phase-I, completed at the cost of Rs 164 crore, is the highlight of the JNNURM projects while a railway over-bridge, built at the cost of Rs 51 crore, has also been thrown open to the public, he said. The drainage and solid waste management projects are also nearing completion.

As part of projects for basic services to urban poor, the RMC has built 4,976 dwelling units for EWS in phase I and II. However, 3,688 units, including all the 2,624 of phase II, are still under construction.