Other States - Rajasthan   

Rajasthan seeks 1,000 crore for slum clearance projects

JAIPUR: Rajasthan has sought an additional Rs.1,000 crore Central allocation under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for completion of its slum clearance projects. The State has communicated to the Union Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Ministry that the amount of Rs.521 crore sanctioned for projects taken up under BSUP (Basic Services to Urban Poor) and IHSDP (Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme) fell short of the required project outlay.

“While I appreciate the sanction of funds amounting to Rs.277.14 crore and Rs.243.62 crore respectively under BSUP and IHSDP programmes, the total funds required for several projects under the above schemes fall short of the required project outlay. For this reason I had requested an additional allocation of Rs.1,000 crore to complete the slum clearance projects,” Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje wrote to Kumari Selja, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, on Wednesday.

“I find it more appropriate if our case for additional assistance is taken up and pursued with the Planning Commission by your Ministry as a focal point of contact from my State,” Ms. Raje wrote referring to Miss Selja’s suggestion earlier that the State could take up the issue with the Planning Commission.

Ms. Raje had earlier written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard and followed it up with a letter to Miss Selja in January this year.

Rajasthan has set an ambitious target of construction of 30 lakh houses for the urban poor in as many as 50 cities and towns. It is estimated that the State would require Rs.1,400 crores to complete the slum clearance projects. The State has an estimated 20-lakh slum population and the major projects taken up are in the big cities such as Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur and Bikaner. Jaipur alone would require an estimated Rs.1,000 crore for the projects undertaken, it is pointed out.

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