The State Urban Development Agency (SUDA) will be hiring a consulting firm for taking up project development under Centre's 'Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation' (AMRUT) project.
Notably, a total of nine cities selected under AMRUT are set to receive a major infrastructural facelift in Chhattisgarh.
The cities chosen under the AMRUT Mission are Raipur, Durg, Bhilai, Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur, Korba, Raigarh, Ambikapur and Jagdalpur.
Notably, the first high-level meeting of the management committee formed under AMRUT Mission chaired by Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand was held here to discuss ways to develop infrastructure and bring about improvement in citizen services in various cities of Chhattisgarh.
AMRUT Mission Director Dr Rohit Yadav had informed in the meeting that elaborate action plan would also be prepared for improvement of drinking water supply, sewerage and drainage lines in the selected cities under the Mission.
He informed that the cities would be provided better public transport, parking facilities and new centres would be established for recreation and development of new parks and green zones would be taken up.
Yadav had stated that the Chhattisgarh Government would receive Rs290.25 crore for implementation of the AMRUT Mission.
He had stated that the State government and civic bodies would also contribute necessary finances for the transformation of cities.
For development of Raipur city, one third funding for the implementation of AMRUT Mission would be received from the Centre while two thirds of the funding would be made by the State government and the civic bodies.
In rest of the eight cities, the Centre would provide 50 per cent funding while the rest of the funds would be made available together by the State government and the civic bodies, he said.
Notably, Chhattisgarh will now witness total convergence of three major and highly ambitious Centrally-sponsored urban development schemes in the days ahead.
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).
This in effect means, 25 of the 26 smart cities in these 9 states are also covered under AMRUT and Housing missions as well and 123 AMRUT cities under housing mission, it stated.
Only in case of Gujarat, there is a degree of deviation. One of the 6 smart city aspirants identified only Dahod does not figure in the 30 cities and towns so far identified for housing projects. 11 of 30 Amrut cities viz.,Bolad, Godhra,Goudal,Jamnagar, Junagadh,Nadiad, Morvi,Palanpur, Porbandar,Veravel and Surendranagar-Dudhrej are still to be included in the housing list.
Notably, in Chhattisgarh, Raipur and Bilaspur have been included to the Centre’s ‘Smart Cities Mission’ among the list of 98 cities selected across the country .
Union Ministry of Urban development selected Raipur with population 10,47,389 and Bilaspur 3,65, 579 98 as cities eligible for being nominated for the ‘Smart Cities Mission’.
Under JNNURM, it was different things for different cities and towns. Some got water supply projects, some solid waste ones, some buses and a few got housing schemes. As a result, nothing much to show.
Close on the heels of announcing 98 smart cities by Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu on August 27 this month, the Ministry of Housing and Urban poverty Alleviation, also headed by Naidu came out with a list of 305 cities and towns for building houses for urban poor.
The Union Urban Development Ministry has identified 482 cities and towns, each with a population of one lakh and above as AMRUT cities for ensuring basic infrastructure like water connections to all urban households, sewer connections and sewage management, storm water drains, urban transport etc.
The 9 states that have identified 305 housing cities and towns, also account for 26 of the 99 smart cities(including either Jammu or Srinagar, when the State Government firms up its choice between these two) and 136 of 482 AMRUT cities and towns as well.
Of these, urban poor housing projects will be taken up in 25 smart cities and 123 AMRUT cities bringing our clear convergence that enables pooling of funds and integration of action plans. Affordable housing is an integral part of smart city initiative which focuses on inclusive development.
Identification of cities/towns for housing projects depends on demand situation and prioritization in terms of number of poor and slum dwellers in a city/town. It may be possible, as Gujarat identified more cities for housing in due course, these may be covered based on demand assessment)
Other Amrut cities to be identified for housing projects are- Adityapur in Jhankhand and Dewas in MP.
On July 30 this year, the State Urban Administration and Development Minister Amar Agrawal had stated that although the Central Government would allocate two 'Smart Cities' to Chhattisgarh, 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.
The Centre had launched 'Amrut Mission' in 500 towns whose population is above one lakh. The Mission will benefit Chhattisgarh also, Agrawal said.
The State Government had selected two cities-Raipur and Bilaspur, after a lot of debate and competition, Agrawal said.