With elevation in status for Jaipur as a counter-magnet area, the state government has already started working on plans to be submitted before the National Capital Region Planning Board. A slew of proposals which include sewerage treatment, drainages and industrial development will be taken up on a priority basis.
“We will soon present proposals related to the infrastructure development. Focus will be on refurbishing the drainage lines, improving roads and supplying drinking water all across the city,” said Shanti Dhariwal, minister for urban development and housing.
The NCRPB gives loans to develop basic infrastructure in counter-magnet towns. For sewerage and water supply facilities, the board provides 15% grant of total investment and remaining funds are provided as loans payable in 15 years. The rate of interest charged for such loans are from 7-8%.
Officials claim that the intention of NCRPB to bring Jaipur under CMA is to provide more funding to the city. “There is a very friendly environment for Rajasthan at board. They want that our state and Jaipur gets more money to develop its infrastructure. We will try to take maximum benefit of it,” said GS Sandhu, additional chief secretary, UDH.
Counter-magnet towns are identified as those which can be developed as alternative centres of growth and attract migrants to them, rather than Delhi. Promoting growth of counter-magnet towns is the principal component of the strategy, so as to reduce both migration and population explosion in the Delhi metropolitan area.
Currently there are nine CMAs including Jaipur. Hisar and Ambala in Haryana, Gwalior in MP, Patiala in Punjab, Bareilly and Kanpur in UP, Dehradun in Uttarakhand, Kota in Rajasthan are among others falling under such category.
The main advantage of declaring counter-magnet cities are that they grow as potential economic centres. There development gets the major thrust. Moreover it solves our purpose to restrict the inflow of people in Delhi and NCR region,” said a senior official of NCRPB. “Jaipur is certainly an ideal location for it. It is nearby to Delhi and has lot of potential to grow,” he added.
Also, Jaipur will now get preference in projects for road transport and highways, railways and communication and information technology. These ministries will make concentrated efforts in improving the transport and communication linkages in these counter magnet areas in a planned manner within a specified time frame.
However, the experts claim that Jaipur will have to work hard in reaping the benefits attached with the status of CMA. It is a welcoming step. Elevated status of Jaipur will help in development of urban infrastructure. Benefits are available and we should be ready for it,” said VS Vyas, deputy chairman, state planning board.
src: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Jaipurs-infrastructure-development-to-get-a-boost-now/articleshow/20884480.cms