Govt may hike plan outlay for development of small towns

NEW DELHI: The urban development ministry is seriously considering modification of the existing guidelines for the integrated development of small and medium towns (IDSMT). According to sources, a proposal to provide higher outlays for IDSMT under the Tenth Plan to allow for more sophisticated urban infrastructure is also under active consideration. The present guidelines cover towns with a population of up to 5 lakh as per the 1991 census. The revision proposes an extension of the scheme to towns with a population of up to 10 lakh, with a maximum project cost of Rs 15 crore for towns between 5 and 10 lakh, Rs 10 crore for towns with populations of between 1 and 5 lakh and Rs 5 crore for towns with populations of below 1 lakh. According to the â€™01 census, there are 5,126 small and medium towns with populations below 10 lakh. Keeping in view the maximum project cost indicated in the revised guidelines in various categories and considering the population of left over towns in each category, about Rs 11,500 crore of central help will be required to cover the remaining 3,571 towns as per the proposed funding pattern. The pattern of funds allocation indicates that all the remaining towns can be covered by the end of the 12th Five Year Plan. The IDSMT scheme involves the improvement of critical infrastructure projects such as water supply and sanitation (including drainage, sewerage and solid waste management), roads and bridges, street lighting, hub terminals, slaughter houses, civic amenities like public parks, playgrounds, stadia, community halls, development of essential market centres, tourist facilities, retaining walls, slope stability measures in hill towns and social amenities for the poor such as toilets, built up vended platforms and night shelters. Since the launch of the scheme in 1979-80, an amount of Rs 706.3 crore central assistance was released under IDSMT to 1,550 towns and Rs 17.9 crore was released under the Central Urban Infrastructure Support Scheme (CUISS) till March 18, â€™04. During the current year, an amount of Rs 108.5 crore was allocated under IDSMT, out of which Rs 106.1 crore has been released till March 18, â€™04, including Rs 5.7 crore under CUISS. For the Tenth Five Year Plan, the Planning Commission allocated Rs 1304.7 crore to cover 925 towns under IDSMT. During the current fiscal, an allocation of Rs 200 crore is being provided for 160 towns.

Govt may hike plan outlay for development of small towns

The urban development ministry is seriously considering modification of the existing guidelines for the integrated development of small and medium towns (IDSMT).

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