Guwahati : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has adised the Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to prepare a time-bound action plan for providing all basic services for the urban poor in major cities in the state.
Official sources here say in a letter, the Prime Minister has sought Mr Gogoi’s personal attention to promote the concept of inclusive cities in which every citizen has reasonable and affordable access to basic amenities.
Dr Singh says while the states have responded to the challenges offered by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), a need to focus is there on the component of basic services to the urban poor to implement the charter of the JNNURM.
Notably, he has written to all Chief Ministers saying that this component relates to provision of basic entitlements and amenities to urban poor in terms of security of tenure, affordable housing, portable water, and sanitation facilities while envisaging convergence of health, education and social security, say official sources .
“The Mission also seeks internal earmarking in Urban Local Body budgets for provision of basic services to the urban poor,” says official statement.
The Prime Minister has also further urged the Chief Ministers to direct each city to develop these plans using innovative resource mobilization models to finance the projects by combining funds provided by the Centre and state with community and private resources.
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