CM unveils big plan for City

CM unveils big plan for City
Deccan Herald

Chief Minister Dharam Singh on Saturday said his government has prepared a Rs 10,779-crore, infrastructure and governance plan — the “City Development Strategy Plan” — for Bangalore, even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh launched an ambitious Rs 1,00,000-crore National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM) to improve the quality of life in cities and towns across the country.

Speaking at the NURM launch function, Mr Dharam Singh observed that Karnataka’s pace of urbanisation has been higher than the national average over the past decade and noted that “our attention does not stop at Bangalore”. He also asked the Centre to include another city of the State, besides Bangalore, for financing under NURM.

He said while a predominant part of Karnataka was still rural, the State’s urbanisation rate has overtaken the national average during the past decade. “As per the 2001 census, 34 per cent of the State was urban (compared to 28 per cent average in India) which translates to an urbanisation rate of 2.9 per cent per annum over the last decade.”

In the same breath, he added: “Our attention does not stop at Bangalore. The state is already focusing on the development of Tier II cities such as Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad, Mangalore, Belgaum and Gulbarga.” He referred to the steps taken to develop these cities. He also called for including another city under Category C for financing under NURM and asked the Centre to approve the detailed project reports which would be submitted shortly.

Referring to the strategy plan, he said of Rs 10,779 crore, the government has prioritised projects worth Rs 1409 crore during the first 15 months.

Focus on urban poor

“We expect assistance under NURM to be released expeditiously to implement the projects in time. Our main focus is on storm water drains and road network accounting for Rs 1224 crore out of Rs 1409 crore,” he added. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the National Urban Renewal Mission stresses on urban governance and aims to provide houses to the urban poor at affordable rates. The scheme, christened the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, also envisages the development of urban infrastructure. The accent will be on providing basic services such as housing and sanitation to the poor. It will cover some 60 cities with populations of over one million, all state capitals and other cities having religious and historical prominence.

“One of our major failures has been the inability to address the needs of the poor — basic services like drinking water supply, sanitation, housing and social services are not available to an increasing share of urban population.”

He said reform in urban governance was the key to improving infrastructure.

Mannmohan’s kitty

*Main initiative —

Providing basic services such as housing and sanitation to the poor drinking water supply, sanitation, housing and social services

* Urban governance key to improving

infrastructure in cities

* Take cue from Bangalore, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram on urban reforms

Dharam’s kitty

*Pace of urbanisation higher than national average 34:28

* Attention does not stop at Bangalore

* Focus on development of Tier II cities like Mysore, Hubli-Dharward, Mangalore, Belgaum and Gulbarga.

*Projects worth Rs 1409 crore during the first 15 months.

* Focus on storm water drains, road network