Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

VMC claims incentive for pro-poor urban reforms

VIJAYAWADA: The city has achieved significant progress with regard to the pro-poor urban reforms during last three years if the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC)’s claims on the implementation of pro-poor reforms under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) are to be taken into consideration.

The VMC officials say that the Corporation was effectively implementing the seven-point charter that included improvement of housing, water supply and sanitation. Apart from this, the Corporation has realised 100 per cent success in delivering services like education, health and social security, say officials.

According to information, the people covered under social security programmes increased to 28,928 during 2008-09 from mere 12,363 in 2005-06. The social security measures include old-age, physically challenged, artisans and widow pensions. Similarly, the number of the BPL families that have been extended water supply have increased from 12,357 families in 2005-06 to 22,500 till September 2008 in this financial year. The VMC has also allotted 183.55 acres of land to eligible families over eight years. Out of this, 26 acres were allotted from 2001-2002 to 2005-06, and remaining allotments were made from 2006-2009. More than 96 acres were allotted for urban poor housing during 2008-09 alone.

Armed with these statistics, the Corporation officials have made their stake for incentive announced under the JNNURM programme. The JNNURM Directorate has announced an incentive of Rs. 2 lakh and Rs. 1 lakh for best performance and second best performance in implementation of the reforms for urban local bodies.

Additional Commissioner (Projects) S.V. Giridhar Rao says, the Corporation was progressing well in ensuring delivery of education, health and social security. In addition, implementation of seven-point charter including provision of basic services like primary health, school education, improved housing and water supply, sanitation, including municipal solid waste and maintenance of drains was also achieved. The Corporation has created a Corpus Fund of Rs. 2 crore for the urban poor.

The VMC is one of the 63 Mission cities, including Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam, in the country that are vying for the incentives.

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