The data released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs outlines the following trends in the utilisation of funds:
- Developing metro rail networks and housing development has been the top priority of the Central Government’s urban development strategy.
- The central government has allocated Rs 53,000 crore to the States in four years to implement metro projects and Rs 33,000 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban.
- 17 cities are implementing 27 metro projects, of which 10 are 50:50 joint ventures between the Government of India and the respective States.
- The central government has allocated 40 per cent funds for metros and 25 per cent for the housing projects in four years.
- The allocation for the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) was less than even 1 per cent of the total allocation.
Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)
HRIDAY was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs was launched to preserve and revitalise soul of the heritage city to reflect the city’s unique character by encouraging aesthetically appealing, accessible, informative & secured environment.
The scheme is being implemented in 12 identified Cities namely, Ajmer, Amaravati, Amritsar, Badami, Dwarka, Gaya, Kanchipuram, Mathura, Puri, Varanasi, Velankanni and Warangal in a mission mode.
- Of the Rs 8,750 crore released to the states under the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban, only 48 per cent funds has been utilised.
- The states have utilised 54 per cent i.e. Rs 9,876 crore of the Rs18,390 crore under the AMRUT scheme.
- The allocation to the North-Eastern Region Urban Development Programme (NERUDP) and the 10% Lumpsum Scheme of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs was just 1 per cent of the total allocation.
10% Lumpsum Scheme
Under the 10% Lumpsum Scheme of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, 10% of the Annual Plan Budget of the Ministry is earmarked for implementation of projects / schemes for the North Eastern States including Sikkim.
North-Eastern Region Urban Development Programme (NERUDP)
The North Eastern Region Urban Development Programme (NERUDP) has been taken up with the financial assistance from Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The scheme is being implemented in the capital cities of 5 North Eastern States viz. Agartala (Tripura), Aizawl (Mizoram), Gangtok (Sikkim), and Kohima (Nagaland) covering priority urban services likeWater Supply, Sewerage and Sanitation, and Solid Waste Management besides capacity building, institutional and financial reforms of urban local bodies.
- The States have utilised 67 per cent of the Central funds provided under the eight urban development projects.
To monitor the progress of schemes and funds allocated to the States, various institutional frameworks such as submission of periodic progress reports, review meetings, video conferences and field visits have been put in place by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.