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HUDCO to the rescue of municipal corporation

Thursday, 16 July 2009 06:46 administrator
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The Hindu 16.07.2009

HUDCO to the rescue of municipal corporation

Staff Reporter

Without housing, requirement pegged at

Rs. 150 cr.

Rate of interest varies depending upon loan availed

VIJAYAWADA: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) officials seem to have succeeded in convincing the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) for sanctioning a loan to continue the ongoing developmental works.

The Corporation asked the HUDCO to provide a loan of Rs. 225 crores for continuing the projects taken up under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) programme. However, the HUDCO, after holding detailed deliberations with the VMC officials, asked the latter to revise the loan requirements. As a result, the Corporation officials are working out “how much of a loan is exactly required” if the housing projects are not included.

The figure has been pegged at around Rs. 150 crores, and the entire process of obtaining the loan is likely to be completed in a week, officials say.

The rate of interest varies depending upon the loan availed, officials explain, and it could be around 10 per cent if the loan is Rs. 150 crores.

The HUDCO, like the consortium of bankers with which the VMC some time ago held parleys, has asked for a collateral security.

Counter guarantee

To meet this requirement, the Corporation could pledge some of its properties to the HUDCO, as the counter guarantee by the State government is “a ruled out proposition”.

A consortium of bankers led by the State Bank of India (SBI) had earlier agreed to sanction a loan of Rs. 50 crores, but it insisted on collateral security.

Last Updated on Thursday, 16 July 2009 07:04
 

Water purifying plants in 1100 mandals

Wednesday, 15 July 2009 12:32 administrator
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The Times of India 15.07.2009

Water purifying plants in 1100 mandals
HYDERABAD: The stage is set for installing reverse osmosis water purifying plants in 1100 mandals across the state on August 15. This decision was taken on Tuesday at a high level meeting with departments of rural water supply, panchayat raj and rural development chaired by the chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, the rural water supply minister P Viswarup said that the village where the pilot plant will be set up will be identified on the basis of population. The village with highest population in the mandal will be the criteria. Depending upon the size of the population, plants with 1000 to 2000 litres capacity would be installed.

These plants will be maintained by self help groups and they would be provided with 100 percent loans to buy the equipment to be repaid in 10 years at 3 percent interest. The government would provide land for installing the plant and supply power at a concessional rate. The design of all the buildings where these plants would be installed will be standard designs, he said. The self help groups will run and maintain these plants for a period of ten years.

He said that the officials of the three related departments would meet again on July 20 to shortlist the suppliers. About 30 suppliers had come forward and are offering the units at a cost of Rs one to two lakhs depending upon the capacity of the units.

The government is also examining the possibility of supplying water at rate lesser than Rs 2 for 20 litres to SC-ST families. The government is also examining the Kondal Rao committee report on the scheme, he said but did not explain further.

Asked if the government had considered the negative impact of these plants on underground water, the minister said that they were examining if it was possible to have dual process units so that the waste water could be used for washing clothes etc. He felt that it was boon for the people since it would help prevent water-borne diseases in rural areas.
 

Three firms short-listed to run waste treatment plant

Wednesday, 15 July 2009 08:23 administrator
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The Hindu 15.07.2009

Three firms short-listed to run waste treatment plant

Staff Reporter

Corporation Council to take final decision on company


DECISION PENDING: Waste being processed at the solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram in this file photo.

KOCHI: Three firms have been short-listed for running the solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram.

The firms were selected from the seven that submitted their expression of interest. The selection was done by an expert committee appointed by the Kochi Corporation.

The Health Standing Committee of the corporation, which is likely to meet this week, will consider the recommendation of the expert committee and forward it to the Corporation Council. It will be the council that will take the final decision.

Meanwhile, the maintenance works at the Brahmapuram plant have been completed and it will resume functioning on Wednesday. The functioning of the plant was suspended for about a fortnight for the process.

The corporation is planning to set up a workshop at the plant site for the repair of vehicles used at the plant. The civic authorities are planning to invite agencies for running the workshop.

The construction of the compound wall and related works would begin after the monsoon season. This was decided at a meeting convened to review the progress of the work.

The culture of segregating waste at the household level is yet to gain ground in Kochi even after one year of the introduction of the concept. There was non-degradable materials, including glass, in the garbage that is received at the Brahmapuram plant. This has been causing problems for the smooth functioning of the plant, said Mayor Mercy Williams.

The civic body has sought the help of an expert agency for evaluating the work carried out by the Andhra Pradesh Technology Development Corporation (APTDC) for the corporation. The APTDC had complained that the corporation had not settled the outstanding bills. The bills can be settled only after obtaining the report of the agency and the corporation council examining it. If the bills are settled otherwise, it would invite audit objection, Ms. Mercy Williams said.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 July 2009 08:31
 
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