Rural renewal scheme clearance in fast lane

NEW DELHI: The government has cleared a total of 56 projects worth Rs 35,65.4 crore for 20 cities in the current financial year ’06-07 under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) . The cities in question are Hyderabad, Vishakapatnam, Vijayawada, Chandigarh, Raipur, Nanded, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara, Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Pune, Greater Mumbai, Nagpur, Amritsar, Madurai, Asansol and Kolkata.

An amount of Rs 147.42 crore has been released as first instalment of the central government’s total share of Rs 589.9 crore for 33 projects costing Rs 1,317.9 crore. The release of the first tranche of the Centre’s share amounting to Rs 2,91 crore for the remaining 23 projects costing Rs 22,47. crore is under way.

In the last quarter of the financial year ’05-06, the ministry of urban development sanctioned 23 projects valued at Rs 864.83 crore for eight cities, namely Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat, Bhopal, Indore and Nagpur, and disbursed Rs 90.1 crore as the first instalment from the Centre’s total share of Rs 367 crore under the provisions of Urban Infrastructure and Governance.