The Hindu : National : PM: promote cities with basic services for poor

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Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007
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PM: promote cities with basic services for poor

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has urged the Chief Ministers to prepare time-bound action plans for providing basic services for the urban poor in major cities in their States.

He has also asked them for their personal attention to promote the concept of inclusive cities in which every citizen would have reasonable and affordable access to basic amenities.

Basic services

In a letter addressed to the Chief Ministers, the Prime Minister said that while the States had responded to the challenges offered by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, there was a need to focus on the component of Basic Services to the Urban Poor to implement the charter of the JNNURM.

This component, the Prime Minister said, relates to the provision of basic entitlements and amenities to the urban poor in terms of security of tenure, affordable housing, potable water, and sanitation facilities while envisaging convergence of health, education and social security. The Mission also seeks earmarking in Urban Local Body budgets for provision of basic services to the urban poor, he added.

Innovative models

The Prime Minister also urged Chief Ministers of all the States to direct each city to develop these plans using innovative resource mobilisation models to finance the projects by combining the Central and State Governments’ funds with community and private resources.

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