Singapore firm to give Ranchi a makeover <javascript:clippopup(1442853);>
*[ Wednesday, March 08, 2006 04:12:23 pmIANS ]*
RANCHI: A Singapore-based consulting firm is being appointed to improve
civic amenities and develop Jharkhand's rundown capital.
Meinhardt, the Singapore-based firm, has been appointed as consultants by
the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) at a cost of Rs.214 million ($4.8
million).
The state cabinet put the seal on the appointment of Meinhardt this week.
Justifying the appointment, Urban Development Minister Raghubar Das said:
"Appointing a consultant was need of the time."
Under the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM) the central government had
chosen Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad as millennium cities to develop them
on the lines of metro cities," he said.
"The central government was putting pressure on us to submit a Detail
Project Report (DPR) and a report of the consultant so that it could release
funds to develop these cities," he said.
"The centre will release half of the fund once the consultant's report is
submitted," he said.
The minister said the Delhi government had also appointed Meinhardt as its
consultant.
"We gave the job to Meinhardt after going through the several responses to
our global tender."
Meinhardt, besides charting out a project report to develop the city, will
also come up with a plan to develop the drainage and sewerage system of the
city.
The opposition parties, however, cried foul in the appointment of the
Singapore firm. The issue was raised in the assembly Tuesday as the
opposition tried to put the government in the dock.
"The tender was floated to help the Singapore based company to get
commission. We are surprised that fund collected from poor people are
diverted this way," independent legislator Stephen Marandi said.
*[ Wednesday, March 08, 2006 04:12:23 pmIANS ]*
RANCHI: A Singapore-based consulting firm is being appointed to improve
civic amenities and develop Jharkhand's rundown capital.
Meinhardt, the Singapore-based firm, has been appointed as consultants by
the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) at a cost of Rs.214 million ($4.8
million).
The state cabinet put the seal on the appointment of Meinhardt this week.
Justifying the appointment, Urban Development Minister Raghubar Das said:
"Appointing a consultant was need of the time."
Under the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM) the central government had
chosen Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad as millennium cities to develop them
on the lines of metro cities," he said.
"The central government was putting pressure on us to submit a Detail
Project Report (DPR) and a report of the consultant so that it could release
funds to develop these cities," he said.
"The centre will release half of the fund once the consultant's report is
submitted," he said.
The minister said the Delhi government had also appointed Meinhardt as its
consultant.
"We gave the job to Meinhardt after going through the several responses to
our global tender."
Meinhardt, besides charting out a project report to develop the city, will
also come up with a plan to develop the drainage and sewerage system of the
city.
The opposition parties, however, cried foul in the appointment of the
Singapore firm. The issue was raised in the assembly Tuesday as the
opposition tried to put the government in the dock.
"The tender was floated to help the Singapore based company to get
commission. We are surprised that fund collected from poor people are
diverted this way," independent legislator Stephen Marandi said.