Centre urged to relax criteria for redevelopment of cities

Himachal has urged the Central Government to relax the criteria fixed in the Urban Challenge Fund for the redevelopment of cities keeping in view geographical constraints and smaller population in most places in the hill sate.

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Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Vikramaditya Singh raised the issue with Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar in New Delhi last evening. He urged the Union Minister to reconsider and relax the criteria fixed in the Urban Challenge Fund for the redevelopment of cities. He requested Khattar to fix the criteria of 90:10 funding for the state keeping in view its hilly terrain. “Due to tough geographical conditions and small population, the cities in the state do not fulfil the criteria fixed in the Urban Challenge Fund,” he said.

Vikramaditya sought Rs 70 crore for the implementation of the Citizen Service Portal under the National Urban Digital Mission for five years. He added that the funds allocated by the state government for its implementation would exhaust this month, hence funds from the Centre were required to implement and sustain this initiative.

He also sought Rs 3.28 crore for clearing liabilities under the National Urban Livelihood Mission. He requested Khattar to sanction special funds for the construction of parking lots and the development of urban infrastructure in Himachal.