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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Job scheme drubbing in mind, Jharkhand lays off JNNURM awards by Amit Gupta

Job scheme drubbing in mind, Jharkhand lays off JNNURM awards by Amit Gupta

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published Published on Sep 23, 2009   modified Modified on Sep 23, 2009

Ranchi, Sept. 22: Chastised for its rural job scheme fiasco earlier this month, a mortified state has decided not to send nominations for an urban excellence award announced by the Centre for 65 cities, entrusted with the task of implementing development projects under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

In Jharkhand, three cities — Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad — qualified as mission cities. But tripartite agreements were signed only for Ranchi and Dhanbad with Jamshedpur left pending due to a pending case in Supreme Court involving Tata Steel.

But civic bodies in both cities failed to show any visible sign of improvement in different sectors such as sewerage, traffic management, urban transportation, solid waste management and drinking water supply.

In fact, the state is on the verge of losing a lump sum central grant for its inability to utilise funds received under JNNURM. Against an allocation of Rs 98 crore, the civic authorities have barely used Rs 28 crore.

“We will not apply for the award instituted by the urban development ministry. The prize is for excellence and, in Jharkhand, not much progress has taken place as far as implementation of JNNURM schemes are concerned,” said Gajanand Ram, an assistant town-planner in the state urban development department.

Though a junior officer, Ram has been given the task of executing urban mission projects. He candidly admitted that awards were not meant for a state as laggard as Jharkhand.

The Union urban development ministry intends to felicitate mission cities for their contribution in 2009. The excellence award has been divided into three categories — basic services, financial sustainability and environmental initiatives.

The ministry proposes six sector awards in each category. The sectors are water supply, drainage, solid waste management, financial management, implementation of reforms and environment initiatives. Each sector award will be given to the best performer and a runner-up city.

Aimed at promoting the public-private partnership (PPP) model in the urban transport system, the Centre has decided to give away a special award for best PPP initiative in the sector. This award, instituted for the first time, will also select the best environment-friendly project in urban transportation.

The entire gamut of honours will, however, remain beyond the state’s reach.

This is not the first time Jharkhand is cutting a sorry figure. In 2007, the Union government had instituted awards for cities that had demonstrated improvement in urban services and financial management. Jharkhand had failed to nominate itself even then and for obvious reasons.

The Centre launched its urban transformation mission in 2005-06 for a period of seven years. So, the next three financial years are crucial for Jharkhand that is dragging its feet on development and is far from reaping the benefits of JNNURM.


The Telegraph, 23 September, 2009, http://telegraphindia.com/1090923/jsp/frontpage/story_11529933.jsp
 

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