* Central funds still out of State's reach *
T. Nandakumar
* Institutional mechanism for Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
Mission yet to be set up *
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The delay in establishing a State-level institutional
mechanism for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM)
is threatening to jeopardise Central funding for the development of urban
infrastructure in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
The two city corporations in Kerala are still bogged down, even as other
States are well ahead with preparations to claim their share of the
Rs.50,000-crore
economic package offered by the Centre. Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi are
among the 63 cities that have been selected for the JNNURM to fast track the
development of infrastructure and basic services.
Most other States have already set up the administrative machinery for the
mission and have started clearing project reports submitted by local bodies.
Seven cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Bhopal, Ujjain, Indore and
Jabalpur, have even submitted detailed plans to the Urban Development
Ministry.
The State Governments have to set up a steering committee headed by the
Chief Minister to coordinate the activities under the mission. The committee
is to be backed by two nodal agencies to manage and monitor the projects in
the infrastructure and basic service sectors.
The two corporations in Kerala are hamstrung by the absence of an
organisational structure to spearhead the mission. Local Self-Government
Minister K. Kutty Ahmed Kutty said the Government was working on the
constitution of a State-level steering committee. "We hope to have the
committee in place soon," he said.
The Minister added that the Kerala Urban Development Project and Kudumbasree
had been identified as nodal agencies. But with the Government yet to issue
orders on the proposals, the groundwork has been held up.
Officials admit that the delay in setting up the structural mechanism could
prove costly for the two cities in Kerala. "With no State-wise allocation,
the availability of funds under the Mission depends on the speed with which
projects are submitted," says an official.
Under the guidelines for the mission, the project reports from each local
body have to be cleared by the State-level steering committee before being
submitted to the Centre.
Thiruvananthapuram Mayor C. Jayan Babu said moves were on to set up an
expert committee to chalk out projects for the NURM. The City Corporation is
hoping to convert the vision document under preparation by the Capital
Region Development Programme as a city development plan. "During a
preliminary discussion with the CRDP officials, I was informed that the
vision document can be fine-tuned to suit the NURM guidelines," Mr. Jayan
Babu said.
Kochi Mayor Mercy Williams said the master plan office in the city had
started work on the preparation of a development plan.
T. Nandakumar
* Institutional mechanism for Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
Mission yet to be set up *
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The delay in establishing a State-level institutional
mechanism for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM)
is threatening to jeopardise Central funding for the development of urban
infrastructure in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
The two city corporations in Kerala are still bogged down, even as other
States are well ahead with preparations to claim their share of the
Rs.50,000-crore
economic package offered by the Centre. Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi are
among the 63 cities that have been selected for the JNNURM to fast track the
development of infrastructure and basic services.
Most other States have already set up the administrative machinery for the
mission and have started clearing project reports submitted by local bodies.
Seven cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Bhopal, Ujjain, Indore and
Jabalpur, have even submitted detailed plans to the Urban Development
Ministry.
The State Governments have to set up a steering committee headed by the
Chief Minister to coordinate the activities under the mission. The committee
is to be backed by two nodal agencies to manage and monitor the projects in
the infrastructure and basic service sectors.
The two corporations in Kerala are hamstrung by the absence of an
organisational structure to spearhead the mission. Local Self-Government
Minister K. Kutty Ahmed Kutty said the Government was working on the
constitution of a State-level steering committee. "We hope to have the
committee in place soon," he said.
The Minister added that the Kerala Urban Development Project and Kudumbasree
had been identified as nodal agencies. But with the Government yet to issue
orders on the proposals, the groundwork has been held up.
Officials admit that the delay in setting up the structural mechanism could
prove costly for the two cities in Kerala. "With no State-wise allocation,
the availability of funds under the Mission depends on the speed with which
projects are submitted," says an official.
Under the guidelines for the mission, the project reports from each local
body have to be cleared by the State-level steering committee before being
submitted to the Centre.
Thiruvananthapuram Mayor C. Jayan Babu said moves were on to set up an
expert committee to chalk out projects for the NURM. The City Corporation is
hoping to convert the vision document under preparation by the Capital
Region Development Programme as a city development plan. "During a
preliminary discussion with the CRDP officials, I was informed that the
vision document can be fine-tuned to suit the NURM guidelines," Mr. Jayan
Babu said.
Kochi Mayor Mercy Williams said the master plan office in the city had
started work on the preparation of a development plan.