Bihar, MP, other 'Bimaru' states shine in urban reforms

NEW DELHI: Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh -- traditionally tagged as 'Bimaru' states -- have made major progress in urban municipal reforms in recent years, while Delhi has not submitted any claim of reforms. States such as Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, which have always performed better, lead from the front again in the assessment by the urban development ministry.

The assessment is based on documentary evidence after 23 states and Union territories submitted their claims for 436 of the 500 cities covered under urban renewal mission, AMRUT. The mandatory reforms under this scheme include e-governance, double entry accounting, water and energy audit and 90% collection of municipal taxes and user charges.

"The states that have made good progress in the past one year will be rewarded with financial incentives on Friday during the India Sanitation (INDOSAN) event," an urban development ministry official said. Good performers will be rewarded a total of Rs 400 crore at the event, sources said.

Officials said the 436 cities and towns have taken significant initiatives to enable e-governance, credit rating necessary for issue of municipal bonds, professionalisation of municipal cadre, augmenting revenue collection and efficient use of water and electricity.

Cities that collect 90% of municipal taxes and user charges include Lucknow, Allahabad, Mathura, Chandigarh, Raipur, Dewas, Kolhapur, Surat, Vadodara, Thiruvananthapuram, Mysuru, Tirupati, Vijayawada, Cuttack and Aizawl.

According to the ministry's assessment, 381 cities and towns have taken measures to bring young professionals in municipal bodies and 78% have initiated measures towards single window clearances.



Under JNNURM implemented during the UPA (2004-14), an effort was made to promote urban reforms in 65 cities.