Nagpur Municipal Corporation became the first corporation in India to receive sanction of funds under the recently launched Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission. This mission was launched by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh to promote rapid growth of cities in India. Nagpur was selected by the Government of India after an intense scrutiny of the proposal submitted by NMC. Projects worth Rs 187 crores, the highest for any local body, have been approved by the Government of India in this financial year. The Government has also accorded (in principle) approval for the Nagpur City Development Plan drawn up by the NMC with an investment of more than Rs 5,000 crores over the next seven years.
The City Development Plan for Nagpur has been prepared with assistance from Indo-USAID FIRE project. CRISIL Infrastructure Advisory worked with NMC to prepare the City Development Plan after extensive discussions with the citizens, industry associations and NGOs. A city-wide survey was also conducted to gauge citizens’ aspirations.
Municipal Commissioner Lokesh Chandra, says, "This is the first time that a long-term plan has been drawn for overall development of the city. Our plan aims to develop Nagpur as a growth nucleus of Central India with thrust on IT, ITES, Education and Health sectors. We want to make Nagpur a modern city with world class infrastructure while retaining our image as a safe and green city."
NMC expects to use the funds to improve the water supply system in the city and develop a safe site to dispose garbage collected in the city. During the next financial year the Government of India will process the remaining projects proposed by NMC which include slum improvement, a ring road for the city, public transport and a water supply project to reduce water losses.
Chief Operating Officer, CRISIL, Hemant Joshi, said "The citizens’ survey has shown that the level of satisfaction with NMC’s services is high. By developing a plan in close co-operation with citizens, NMC has ensured that it will continue to meet the expectations of the citizens."
Under JNNURM, only plans that aim to transform the city with focused investments and with long-term reforms will be approved. NMC is committed to take up reforms in the area of E-Governance, community participation and public disclosures. These will have a far reaching impact by involving citizens in decision making and by improving transparency in management of the city.
|
Enlarge
