Urban Ministry monitoring progress of Swachh Bharat in PM Modi’s constituency Varanasi

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the second anniversary of BJP government this month, the tardy works progress in Prime Minister’s constituency has become the focus of the Centre. Working on the directives of the Prime Minister’s Office, the urban development ministry has stepped in to speed up development works especially under Centre’s flagship programmes like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Secretary (urban development) Rajiv Gauba has been entrusted with the job of personally keeping an eye on the progress of works. Gauba held second review of works on Monday. The slow pace of works in the constituency has irked PMO. Against the requirement of construction of 3,500 household toilets in the city, work has recently started only on 779 toilets.

Even the requirement for community and public toilet seats has not been met with only 46 toilets being constructed against the requirement of 205. During the review, the representatives of UP administration ensure the Centre that work would be started soon on these toilets, which are an integral part of making the city open defecation free under Swachh Bharat Mission.

Apart from toilets, other projects like waste management, cleaning of ghats, installation of LED lights, land acquisition for a water treatment plant, execution of HRIDAY works, implementation under Kyoto-Varanasi Collaboration Agreement, JICA-assisted works were discussed and reviewed in detail. Varanasi Municipal Corporation will come out with an action plan for ensuring 24x7 cleaning of ghats in 10 days’ tim