*NNURM needs Private Participation to make the Mission Successful
.*
President PHDCCI, Sushma Berlia, in her address to the seminar on JNNURM-
Opportunities and Challenges for Urban Development & Public Private
Partnership in Delhi today, stated that, based on current trends, nearly 50%
of India's population would shift to urban areas in the next couple of
decades. Cities and towns currently suffer from major inadequacies in
infrastructure and service provisioning. It is estimated that by the year
2011, urban areas would contribute to about 65% of our GDP. Therefore, it is
in the interest of the states' economy to strengthen urban infrastructure.
The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) established on
3rd Dec '05 has been a significant step taken by the UPA Government towards
keeping its commitment towards urban renewal. This is the largest initiative
taken for the development of our cities and towards achieving the Millennium
Development Goals set by the UN which comprised quantifiable targets to be
achieved by 2015.
The seminar organized today at the PHD House was inaugurated by Ajay Maken,
Minister of State for Urban Development. M Rajamani, Joint Secretary,
Ministry of Urban Development, Mehtab Singh, Commissioner, Municipal
Corporation, Faridabad, Vijay Kumar Yadav, Municipal Commissioner, Ghaziabad
along with the senior government officials from Centre and States, local
bodies, urban development authorities, private sector companies, consulting
firms, financial intermediaries, specialists from institutions specializing
in urban planning, financing and management attended and showcased
investment opportunities for the private sector.
Speaking at the function, Ajay Maken said that JNNURM is an encouraging step
taken by the UPA Government which is reform centric and not money centric.
It is estimated that by 2021, if 100% water and sanitation facilities is
provided, the calculated expenditure shall be about $ 38 billion. This huge
amount can definitely not be generated by the govt. alone; it is only
possible through public-private partnership (PPP). However, this is not only
just an opportunity for private players to earn money but they should also
aim at improvising their services so as to support the entire mission of
JNNURM.
Mrs. Berlia also added that, the Central Government has taken a path
breaking step in formulating the JNNURM, the fruition of which could witness
the development of urban infrastructure at an accelerated pace. The launch
of this scheme marks an important milestone in the reform agenda of the
government. With over 300 million persons, cities and towns of India
constitute the world's second largest urban system. Based on current trends,
nearly 50% of the population of our country would shift to urban areas in
the next couple of decades. This highlights the magnitude of the development
and renewal task for our cities that awaits all of us. With urbanization
comes the need to invest in infrastructure and improve the quality of life
in our cities. As we all know, our cities and towns currently suffer from
major inadequacies in infrastructure and service provisioning.
PHDCCI has been emphasizing the need for rationalization of stamp duty rates
across all the states, repeal of urban land ceiling and regulation act and
reform of rent control laws, revision of building bi-laws to streamline
approval process for construction, providing bulk land on competitive rates
to quality developers by simplifying framework for conversion of
agricultural land to non-agricultural purposes and very importantly drawing
up public private partnership models for development, management and
financing of urban infrastructure for different sizes of urban local bodies
and introduction of independent regulators for urban services. All these
proposals, as and when implemented, would go a long way in improving city
infrastructure and services and in mobilizing fresh investments in the
sector.
.*
President PHDCCI, Sushma Berlia, in her address to the seminar on JNNURM-
Opportunities and Challenges for Urban Development & Public Private
Partnership in Delhi today, stated that, based on current trends, nearly 50%
of India's population would shift to urban areas in the next couple of
decades. Cities and towns currently suffer from major inadequacies in
infrastructure and service provisioning. It is estimated that by the year
2011, urban areas would contribute to about 65% of our GDP. Therefore, it is
in the interest of the states' economy to strengthen urban infrastructure.
The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) established on
3rd Dec '05 has been a significant step taken by the UPA Government towards
keeping its commitment towards urban renewal. This is the largest initiative
taken for the development of our cities and towards achieving the Millennium
Development Goals set by the UN which comprised quantifiable targets to be
achieved by 2015.
The seminar organized today at the PHD House was inaugurated by Ajay Maken,
Minister of State for Urban Development. M Rajamani, Joint Secretary,
Ministry of Urban Development, Mehtab Singh, Commissioner, Municipal
Corporation, Faridabad, Vijay Kumar Yadav, Municipal Commissioner, Ghaziabad
along with the senior government officials from Centre and States, local
bodies, urban development authorities, private sector companies, consulting
firms, financial intermediaries, specialists from institutions specializing
in urban planning, financing and management attended and showcased
investment opportunities for the private sector.
Speaking at the function, Ajay Maken said that JNNURM is an encouraging step
taken by the UPA Government which is reform centric and not money centric.
It is estimated that by 2021, if 100% water and sanitation facilities is
provided, the calculated expenditure shall be about $ 38 billion. This huge
amount can definitely not be generated by the govt. alone; it is only
possible through public-private partnership (PPP). However, this is not only
just an opportunity for private players to earn money but they should also
aim at improvising their services so as to support the entire mission of
JNNURM.
Mrs. Berlia also added that, the Central Government has taken a path
breaking step in formulating the JNNURM, the fruition of which could witness
the development of urban infrastructure at an accelerated pace. The launch
of this scheme marks an important milestone in the reform agenda of the
government. With over 300 million persons, cities and towns of India
constitute the world's second largest urban system. Based on current trends,
nearly 50% of the population of our country would shift to urban areas in
the next couple of decades. This highlights the magnitude of the development
and renewal task for our cities that awaits all of us. With urbanization
comes the need to invest in infrastructure and improve the quality of life
in our cities. As we all know, our cities and towns currently suffer from
major inadequacies in infrastructure and service provisioning.
PHDCCI has been emphasizing the need for rationalization of stamp duty rates
across all the states, repeal of urban land ceiling and regulation act and
reform of rent control laws, revision of building bi-laws to streamline
approval process for construction, providing bulk land on competitive rates
to quality developers by simplifying framework for conversion of
agricultural land to non-agricultural purposes and very importantly drawing
up public private partnership models for development, management and
financing of urban infrastructure for different sizes of urban local bodies
and introduction of independent regulators for urban services. All these
proposals, as and when implemented, would go a long way in improving city
infrastructure and services and in mobilizing fresh investments in the
sector.