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Urban Planning

GHMC hopes to cash in on BPS extension

Monday, 22 February 2010 05:03 administrator
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Deccan Chronicle 22.02.2010

GHMC hopes to cash in on BPS extension

February 22nd, 2010
By DC Correspondent , DC Correspondent

Hyderabad, Feb. 21: The recent decision of the state government to extend the last date for disposal of the Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS) turns out to be a boon for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) after it got a raw deal in the state Budget for 2010-2011.

The civic body had requested the government to allocate nearly Rs 700 crore for it in the state Budget, but got only Rs 73 crore. Now, the corporation has set a target of collecting at least Rs 400 crore by disposing of the pending BPS applications.

The government on Wednesday issued G.O. Ms No. 76 stating that the date has been extended

strictly for disposal of “pending applications” only and that no fresh or new applications should be accepted. The government order also came with a rider that after June 30, none of the pending BPS applications should be disposed of.

A senior GHMC official confirmed that the last date for clearing pending BPS applications is June 30.

The GHMC received 2.03 lakh BPS applications and out of this the officials have been able to clear only 87,000 till date. Another 35,000 applications were declared “ineligible for regularisation” as they were found to have been constructed on government, Wakf, Urban Land Ceiling and endowment lands.

“The financial position of the GHMC is precarious. Though we expected reasonable allocations for the civic body in the State Budget, what has been given is meagre. The best alternative to raise revenues now is to ensure that all BPS applications are cleared. It is a challenge as not all the applicants are coming forward for regularisation proceedings. But we will do it,” a GHMC official said.

The GHMC town planning officials will visit the BPS applicants and ask them to pay penalisation charges for disposal of applications.

 

Rs. 445 cr. allocation to HMDA

Sunday, 21 February 2010 05:37 administrator
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The Hindu 21.02.2010

Rs. 445 cr. allocation to HMDA

Special Correspondent

Provision made for Rs. 250 crore for Godavari water supply to twin cities

 

The Municipal Administration and Urban Development get an allocation of Rs. 3,261 crore

Under JNNURM, the State has provided Rs.1,750 crore as matching component for schemes

HYDERABAD: An allocation of Rs. 445 crore was made to the cash-strapped Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority in the 2010-11 budget.

The government has also made budgetary allocations towards State component for several major schemes under implementation by the HMDA. The Japan International Cooperation Agency funded Rs. 370 crore Hussain Sagar Lake and Catchment Area Improvement Project, got an allocation of Rs.60 crore. The JICA would extend an aid of Rs. 310 crore for the project.

Similarly, a provision for Rs.385 crore for the ongoing Outer Ring Road project and Rs. 250 crore for Godavari water supply to twin cities has been made. For the ‘Pedestrianisation’ project, an amount of Rs.1 crore was provided as assistance to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.

The Municipal Administration and Urban Development got an allocation of Rs. 3,261 crore for 2010-11, Rs. 690 crore more than that of last year. Under non-plan, the department got an allocation of Rs. 1,052 crore while that of last year was Rs. 982 crore.

Gainful employment

Under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, the State has provided Rs.1,750 crore as matching component for schemes sanctioned under the Central scheme for water supply, underground drainage, storm water drains, solid waste management and transportation in urban local bodies.

Under the centrally sponsored Swarna Jayanthi Sahari Rojgar Yojana to provide gainful employment to the urban poor, Rs.18 crore was provided and Rs.192 crore was allocated for the State schemes.

An amount of Rs.362 crore was provided for the ongoing externally aided project ‘AP urban reforms and municipal services’.

Last Updated on Sunday, 21 February 2010 05:39
 

‘Instal RWH or face disconnection’

Saturday, 20 February 2010 09:52 administrator
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Deccan Herald 20.02.2010

BWSSB has launched an awareness drive about deadline of May 27
‘Instal RWH or face disconnection’
S Lalitha , Bangalore, Feb 19, DH News Service:

Alarmed by the poor response from house-owners in the face of the fast-approaching deadline to instal rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has warned house-owners either to opt for RWH before May 27 or face disconnection of drinking water supply.
  

One of the few RWH structures installed in a house in the City.In all 70,000 pamphlets on this issue are being issued door to door all over the City. The target section identified by the BWSSB is the existing buildings having a site area of 2,400 square feet (60’ x 40’ site) and above. New houses are sanctioned drinking water connections only on producing proof of RWH structures within their buildings.

“We have identified nearly 55,000 existing buildings where RWH needs to be installed. The process of identifying more houses is still going on and 15,000 more are likely to come under the mandatory RWH category,” said a BWSSB official. “Only 3,700 houses have installed RWH structures so far,” he added.

The pamphlets are delivered personally by the BWSSB employees and acknowledgement is collected.The Board has made it mandatory for its employees to collect an acknowledgement from each house specifying receipt of notice. The Assistant Engineer, Water Inspector or the meter reader at each service station have been entrusted with the task.

Initiatives such as street plays on RWH, interactive sessions with resident associations and public workshops organised at various parts of the City have failed to convince the public on the need to conserve rainwater. These steps were taken by BWSSB since August 27, 2008, the date the BWSSB Act was amended to make RWH mandatory.

 
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