None of the cities in Chhattisgarh has appeared in the exercise of credit rating of cities and towns of the Union Urban Development Ministry in 94 out of 500 cities included in Smart City Mission and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) which have obtained such ratings necessary for issuing municipal bonds for mobilization of resources, the Central Government data has revealed.
With the exercise of Credit Rating of cities and towns gaining momentum, 94 of the 500 cities included in Smart City Mission and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) have obtained such ratings which are necessary for issuing Municipal Bonds for mobilization of resources.
During the review of progress of Credit Rating exercise taken by Union Minister of Urban Development M.Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday, it was revealed that 55 of these cities have got ‘Investment Grade’ ratings.
The Minister noted that 59% of cities assessed getting Investment Grade rating was better than what was thought of about the financial situation of Urban local Bodies in the country.
The 94 cities that have so far been assigned Credit Ratings are spread across 14 States.
The Union Ministry of Urban Development is promoting Credit Rating of cities as one of the five Transformational Reforms under which about 500 cities and towns that account for about 65% of total urban population were to be given Credit Ratings during this year.
Of the total 20 ratings ranging from AAA to D, BBB- is the ‘Investment Grade’ ratings and cities rated below BBB- need to undertake necessary interventions to improve their ratings for obtaining positive response to the Municipal Bonds to be issued.
Credit Ratings are assigned based on assets and liabilities of Urban local Bodies, revenue streams, resources available for capital investments, Double Entry Accounting practice and other Governance practices. Besides the Credit Rating of Urban local Bodies, ratings for individual projects for which resources are to be mobilised through Municipal Bonds would have a bearing on the response to such bonds.
As per the reforms timelines suggested by the Ministry of Urban Development, 39 cities that have got Credit Ratings below the investment grade (BBB-) have to undertake necessary interventions for improving the ratings in one year.
Notably now Naya Raipur- Chhattisgarh’s new adminstrative capital is now gearing up for the third round of 'Smart City Challenge' contest of the Union Ministry of Urban Development.
On the other hand, rising population pressure in old Raipur is leading to a stressed infrastructure environment. The present carrying capacity will not suffice for the projected population growth and may lead to poor living conditions in future, warns the ‘Smart City Proposal’ which was made for ‘The Smart City Challenge Stage-II’ of the Union Ministry of Urban development and Poverty Alleviation.
There are inadequate capacities at the Urban local Bodies of old Raipur, it also observed.
There is sparse pedestrian facilities in the city core area. Only 14% of city roads have footpath, it further observed.
There is lack of Integrated land-use and transportation planning. The central part of the city is extremely crowded with high density in areas like Jaistambh chowk, Ghadi chowk, Fafadih chowk and Railway Station. Density reduces towards the periphery and there are scattered developments along the main arteries (NH30 and NH53) leading to traffic congestion on these roads.
Transit Oriented Development has not been implemented, the document pointed out.
On the other hand, it may be recalled that the well-developed ‘Greater Raipur’ region has started fast taking shape near Raipur city.
A total of 19 urban centers are being planned in Greater Raipur region which would touch boundary of five municipal corporations, officials informed.
The regions such as Raipur, Naya Raipur, Charoda, Jamul, Kumhari Bhilai-III and Durg will come under ‘Greater Raipur’ region.
Chhattisgarh will witness total convergence of three major and highly ambitious Centrally-sponsored urban development schemes in the days ahead, officials informed last year.
As per a detailed note issued by the Union Urban Development Ministry, out of the 9 states under consideration, there is total convergence of housing, AMRUT and Smart City Missions in respect of Chhattisgarh (2 smart and 9 Amrut cities), Jammu & Kashmir (1 and 3), Kerala (1 and 7), MP (7 and 32), Odisha (2 and 9), Rajasthan (4 and 28), Telangana (2 and 11).
The Urban Administration and Development Minister Amar Agrawal in July 2015 had stated that the State Government has decided to develop all the other 11 municipal Corporations-run cities on the pattern of 'Smart Cities'.
The infrastructure will be upgraded, convenient transport will be provided, people's participation, good governance, health and education, e-Governance, healthy environment, adequate drinking water facilities, waste disposal management and sanitation and low-cost housing for poor are some of the proposals to develop the other 'Smart Cities', he said.
Raipur City is also to promote Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) with dedicated pedestrianized corridors and enhanced ‘walk ability’ options.
This was stated in the ‘Smart City Proposal’ for Raipur submitted during Stage II of the ‘Smart City Challenge’ of India Smart City Mission of the Union Ministry of Urban Development.
The NMT mode had been focussed to bring pollution levels further down in the city, officials informed.