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Journalism of Courage
Turning Mumbai into a glittering globalised Shanghai was the promise that Prime Minister made to Mumbaikars during his short election tour of the state. Now, with the victory in Mahasrashtra pepping up Congress’ prospect in the Centre, Manmohan Singh wants ‘‘the promise’’ to be translated to reality.
At a two-hour meeting with the Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation Ministry today, Singh asked officials to prepare a roadmap with a little help from the Planning Commission. He sought concrete suggestions and practical ideas to make Mumbai the dream city of India, and develop the infrastructure of the other metros.
As part of the proposal to operationalise the Urban Renewal Mission, the UPA Government would be setting up a National Urban Renewal Authority which would be vested with the power to carry through an integrated development programme.
Major Centrally-sponsored schemes like VAMBAY and NSDO will be merged and would also be put on a mission mode so that implementation of programme is done within the timeframe of five years with the help of local urban bodies. Mumbai’s Dharavi project would be one of them.
At the meeting — which was also attended by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia — the Prime Minister directed the panel to work out a funding plan that would draw on public and private funds for specific infrastructure and urban development projects.
While asking the Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation Ministry to come up with concrete proposals, Singh suggested that the details of the proposed National Mission on Urban Renewal be finalised in coordination with the Planning Commission.
Besides metros, Singh suggested that at least one big city and one medium-sized town per state should be identified by the Ministry for a programme of infrastructure renewal which would include land tenure, power, water, roads, sanitation and sewage, health and education.
The Urban Renewal Mission would also focus on slum development, facilities for the urban poor, public transport, public parks and public spaces, legal reform, new construction projects and environment management.
It has also been decided that forcible dislocation and demolition of slums would be stopped. Instead, better living standards would be provided in alternative cites.
