Punjab’s all cities and towns are all set for a major revamp. For, the state local Government Department has chalked out a comprehensive plan to totally transform all cities and towns at the cost of over Rs 2000 crore.
“Necessary funds are being arranged and released for the development of cities...”Funds to the tune of total of Rs 2,127 crore have been approved for the development of the cities and these would be released soon,” said State local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday.
Sidhu said that no stone would be left unturned to develop the cities as per the instructions and under the leadership of the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
He said that now is the time to execute the policies framed during past six months by the department.
Spelling out the plans, Sidhu said that the state government would release, within a week, funds worth Rs 1,540 crore aimed at the development of cities.
“The previous regime had approved Rs 2,054.05 crore for 122 cities out of which only Rs 567.60 crore were released in December 2016,” he said, adding that the developmental works pertaining to the cities were stalled owing to the non-release of rest of the funds.
He also elaborated that now, the present government is releasing rest of Rs 1540 crore amount.
Adding more, he said that the Congress Government had decided to review the works done during its six months tenure till date and now the amount is in the process of being released after reviewing all the works.
Apart from this, under the urban mission, Rs 587 crore has been approved for the cities.
Disclosing about developmental works with regard to the big corporation cities, Sidhu said that Rs 139 crore and Rs 125 crore have been approved for the development of ludhiana and Amritsar respectively while the amount for Jalandhar and Patiala would be approved soon.
“The Kaptaan e-Sewa is being initialised which would lead to every urban household getting maps passed online. Main purpose of the government is to do everything in a transparent manner,” he said.
Adding more, he said that every site of developmental work would see a board being installed depicting the name and contact number of the contractor, time of starting and ending of work, name of officer of concerned department and specifications of the work.
Sidhu said that the previous regime didn’t pay any attention to fire and emergency services but the present government has formed a separate fire directorate as per the directions of the Chief Minister.
The Minister further elaborated that the department has chalked out a plan to make all the local bodies self-dependent. “A target of generating Rs 500 crore has been set as per the new outdoor advertising and parking policy which is being prepared at present. ludhiana alone has the capability to generate income of Rs 100 crore,” he added.
Pointing that sewerages were clogged due to non-cleaning during previous years, Sidhu said that the Department would start cleaning work next year four months prior to the monsoon season.
“Besides, 16 super suction machines are also being provided to the cities. The closed sewerage treatment plants would be restarted and the treated water would be made fit for irrigational purposes,” he said adding that during next six to 12 months, lED lights would be installed in all the cities and towns.