*It seems the NURM DPRs info which should have been decided after inputs
from citizens has to be made public mandatorily now without using RTI what
about all the other developments the malls. mulitplexes and SEzs etc , what
about the Greater Bangalore designs abd plans or in case of bigger Abad
itself*
**
*Where is the mandatory RTI here*
* *
Stakeholders quiz NURM team on city projects and RTI
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Ahmedabad: The Right to Information (RTI) Act should not be needed at all to
get information on civic projects from Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation,
particularly those under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
(JNNURM).
As 100-odd citizens met officials of the JNNURM'S national technical
advisory group (TAG) on Monday, the TAG team made it very clear that the AMC
is liable to put up every detail of the 10 projects already sanctioned, on
its official website. "The citizen should not need to resort to RTI for
getting information on civic projects. AMC should pro-actively give out all
details," said Prof RV Rama Rao, noted academician and a TAG member.
The reply was in response to a question posed by leading hotelier Jehangir
Cama whose RTI application addressed to the AMC on the riverfront project
yielded little information.
Cama was one of the members of the citizenry - or stakeholders of the city -
who met on Monday with the TAG members and AMC officials and quizzed them
about issues affecting them. A meeting with stakeholders of respective
cities is mandatory under JNNURM guidelines, which has sanctioned 10
projects to Ahmedabad city and released Rs 1,333 crore as first instalment.
Stakeholders largely comprised representatives from NGOs such as Centre for
Environment Education (CEE), Utthaan, Self-Employed Women's Association
(SEWA), apart from builders such as Anil Bakeri, faculty at IIM-A, Prem
Pangotra, chairman of Infrastructure Panel Gujarat Council at Confederation
of Indian Industry, Vimal Ambani, former mayors of Ahmedabad, Himmatsinh
Patel, Nandlal Wadhwa and Bhavnaben Dave.
Rehabiliatation of slum dwellers, infrastructure which is disabled-friendly,
solving traffic problems arising during implementation of flyovers and
bridges, were a few of the questions raised by stakeholders.
The mission has sanctioned total projects worth Rs 11,000 crore ever since
it was launched in December 2005.
Ten per cent of these have gone to Ahmedabad alone, said Ramesh Ramanathan,
national technical advisor, TAG. Municipal commissioner IP Gautam stated
that a revised city development plan (CDP) will be submitted by April. It
will entail a joint plan for new and old AMC areas and that under Cantonment
Board.
The next line of action is setting up area sabhas and ward committees, of
which the latter's formation came about in a state government notification
last week.
"It is mandatory to keep the CDP a 'living document', subject to change
according to citizens' will.
Subsequently, JNNURM'S state-level reforms include setting up area sabhas
comprising registered voters in polling booths of each ward, and ward
committees which has area sabha representatives as members," said
Ramanathan. Such community participation is touted as the mission's USP.
from citizens has to be made public mandatorily now without using RTI what
about all the other developments the malls. mulitplexes and SEzs etc , what
about the Greater Bangalore designs abd plans or in case of bigger Abad
itself*
**
*Where is the mandatory RTI here*
* *
Stakeholders quiz NURM team on city projects and RTI
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Ahmedabad: The Right to Information (RTI) Act should not be needed at all to
get information on civic projects from Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation,
particularly those under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
(JNNURM).
As 100-odd citizens met officials of the JNNURM'S national technical
advisory group (TAG) on Monday, the TAG team made it very clear that the AMC
is liable to put up every detail of the 10 projects already sanctioned, on
its official website. "The citizen should not need to resort to RTI for
getting information on civic projects. AMC should pro-actively give out all
details," said Prof RV Rama Rao, noted academician and a TAG member.
The reply was in response to a question posed by leading hotelier Jehangir
Cama whose RTI application addressed to the AMC on the riverfront project
yielded little information.
Cama was one of the members of the citizenry - or stakeholders of the city -
who met on Monday with the TAG members and AMC officials and quizzed them
about issues affecting them. A meeting with stakeholders of respective
cities is mandatory under JNNURM guidelines, which has sanctioned 10
projects to Ahmedabad city and released Rs 1,333 crore as first instalment.
Stakeholders largely comprised representatives from NGOs such as Centre for
Environment Education (CEE), Utthaan, Self-Employed Women's Association
(SEWA), apart from builders such as Anil Bakeri, faculty at IIM-A, Prem
Pangotra, chairman of Infrastructure Panel Gujarat Council at Confederation
of Indian Industry, Vimal Ambani, former mayors of Ahmedabad, Himmatsinh
Patel, Nandlal Wadhwa and Bhavnaben Dave.
Rehabiliatation of slum dwellers, infrastructure which is disabled-friendly,
solving traffic problems arising during implementation of flyovers and
bridges, were a few of the questions raised by stakeholders.
The mission has sanctioned total projects worth Rs 11,000 crore ever since
it was launched in December 2005.
Ten per cent of these have gone to Ahmedabad alone, said Ramesh Ramanathan,
national technical advisor, TAG. Municipal commissioner IP Gautam stated
that a revised city development plan (CDP) will be submitted by April. It
will entail a joint plan for new and old AMC areas and that under Cantonment
Board.
The next line of action is setting up area sabhas and ward committees, of
which the latter's formation came about in a state government notification
last week.
"It is mandatory to keep the CDP a 'living document', subject to change
according to citizens' will.
Subsequently, JNNURM'S state-level reforms include setting up area sabhas
comprising registered voters in polling booths of each ward, and ward
committees which has area sabha representatives as members," said
Ramanathan. Such community participation is touted as the mission's USP.