Citizens could decide JNNURM projects

Have you always wanted a vermiculture project in the vicinity of your house? Or a special centre for the elderly in the locality?

Have you always wanted a vermiculture project in the vicinity of your house? Or a special centre for the elderly in the locality? The Community Participation Fund, newly introduced by the Centre as part of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission JNNURM, may help you implement such civic projects in your area.

So far, the JNNURM has dealt with the creation of infrastructure in select cities. Now the new fund can provide up to Rs 10 lakh for 8220;last mile connectivity8221; projects in any state. It will also enable citizens8217; participation in the process.

Such projects are to be suggested by the area communities constituted under the community participation law to be enacted under the JNNURM. The area communities will consist of voters of one polling station to a maximum five polling stations. The projects are to be suggested to the municipal corporation, which in turn will forward it to the JNNURM directorate for funding.

However, since the community participation law has not been enacted in most of the states, including Maharashtra, such proposals can be routed through the general body of the municipal corporation. Initially, community-based organisations like residents welfare associations, neighbourhood groups, youth clubs and market committees, will be able to suggest such projects.

T C Benjamin, principal secretary, Urban Development department, said he had held a meeting with senior officials of various municipal corporations covered under the JNNURM and had asked each municipal corporation to submit at least two such projects. The municipal corporations have also been asked to give due publicity to the same in the local areas.

8220;Last mile connectivity8221; projects like providing pipewater connections to slums and settlements, cregrave;ches for children of working mothers, special centres for the elderly, multi-purpose community centres, building or rebuilding the local market, creating hawking plaza infrastructure, improving traffic and safety conditions around local schools, safe drinking water and utilisation of non-conventional energy for domestic energy requirements can be suggested and taken up.

Though the communities can engage anybody to implement the project, they are encouraged to keep municipal corporations as the implementing option.

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The proposal will, however, have to be endorsed by at least 51 per cent of the intended beneficiaries and signed by the elected representative of the ward or area. However, urban local bodies, private sector profit-oriented organisations or any Government institution are not eligible for accessing the fund.