The Times of India
Originally published 19 October 2009
NEW DELHI: The overall progress under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission has indicated that 56 percent of state level reforms and 50 percent of urban local bodies level reforms committed till 2008-09 were achieved, the Ministry of Urban Development said today.
After conducting a review of the work conducted under JNNURM, the Ministry has expressed satisfaction on the pace of urban sector reforms in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
A Ministry release said that it has recognised that certain states in the North-East, certain cities in Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir have capacity constraints. "The main objective of the implementation of reforms under JNNURM is to provide enabling environment for the growth of cities by enhancing effective urban service delivery, land management, financial management and stakeholder participation in governance," the release added.
Giving example of reforms carried out by the state governments, the Ministry said that in Jharkhand municipal elections were held after a gap of 22 years, and 20 states have taken steps to establish district planning committees.
The ministry has however, expressed concern that property taxes have been withdrawn in Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab and it is taking up the matter with the state government as this contravenes the spirit of the JNNURM reforms.
