Centre issues guidelines to state government on project sanction

NEW DELHI: The Centre has issued guidelines asking the state governments to incorporate plans for water conservation and sewage disposal in the Master Plans for cities before any projects are sanctioned.

Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath said that in the next phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission ( JNNURM), sustainable cities would be encouraged.

"We are building it in, we have asked all states to build it in their Master Plans - water conservation and sewage. In all building plans that they sanction, they must ensure that it is a part of their Master Plans," Nath told reporters here on the sidelines of a function organised by CII and ITC.

"We have already issued the guidelines," Nath said. The Minister also said that the central government was also trying to promote cleaner cities in the next phase of JNNURM.

"We are going to see how carbon-neutral they are, how are they bringing in sustainability concerns. That will be a part of the next JNNURM," Nath said.

Earlier, in his speech at the function, Nath said that the government was planning to develop smart cities across the country.

He said that the country was urbanising at a very rapid pace and the number of people living in urban areas and the number of cities was expected to increase substantially in the coming years.