New
Urban Missions
Based on the learnings of implementation of
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) that ended up in
sub-optimal physical and financial performance, the Central Government has
radically overhauled the Operational Guidelines for implementation of Smart
Cities Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)
and Housing for All Mission in Urban Areas.
The Guidelines released by Prime Minister at
the launch of the three new urban missions allow the States and Union
Territories full liberty and flexibility in formulation, approval and execution
of projects under the three missions. The two urban ministries have sought to
ensure timely sanction and execution and certainty of resources for various
projects and participation of citizens in identifying development needs under
the new urban schemes. Central Government has virtually withdrawn from the
earlier practice of appraising and sanctioning individual projects, there by
ending the scope for subjectivity and discretion.
The major new provisions
incorporated in the Guidelines and common to all the three urban missions
include:
(01)
Objective criteria for selection of cities and allocation of funds:
Potential Smart Cities and AMRUT
cities are to be based on an objective and equitable criteria giving equal
weightage to urban population and number of statutory cities in each State/UT.
Housing Mission to be implemented in all the 4,041 statutory cities/towns. For smart city development, each
selected city will be provided central assistance of Rs.100 cr per year. Under
AMRUT, allocation of funds will be as per urban population and number of
cities/towns in each State/UT. Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Housing For
All in urban areas), it will be based on the number of urban poor and slum
dwellers.
(02)
States/UTs to appraise and approve individual projects unlike in the past when
urban ministries used to do so.
(03)
To avoid delays and non-completion of projects on account of lack of resources,
States/UTs will now be required to firmly indicate resource tie ups under state
level action plans.
(04)
To enhance urban governance, clear Action Plans for timely implementation of
identified reforms need to be indicated.
(05)
Consultations with urban citizens made mandatory to ensure need based and
bottom up planning of projects.
(06)
State level Action Plans to clearly indicate convergence with other central and
state government schemes as appropriate for resource maximization.
(07)
PPP model shall be the main resource of resource mobilization.
(08)
Involvement of Members of Parliament and State Assemblies in formulation and
monitoring of projects provided for.
Mission-wise Guidelines
seeking better execution of projects are
as below:
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AMRUT
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Smart Cities
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Housing For All (Urban)
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No
projects without availability of land and all necessary clearances shall be
included in the Mission by States/UTs.
States
shall transfer funds to urban local bodies within 7 days of transfer by
central government and no diversion of funds to be made failing which penal
interest would be charged besides taking other adverse action by the centre.
Action
Plans should provide for O&M costs for assets created for at least five
years based on user charges.
Instead
of penalizing States/ULBs for non-implementation of reforms by linking fund
release with progress on reforms resulting in delays, the Guidelines now
provide for incentivizing reforms by earmarking 10% of annual allocation to
be allocated to good performers at the end of each year.
For
water supply, sewerage, septage, storm water drains and urban transport,
centre’s share to be in the range of 1/3 of project cost to 50%. States to
mobilize the balance with its own share being not less than 20%.
A
set of 11 Reforms to be implemented in four years including :Promoting
e-governance, Improving collection of various taxes, fee and user charges,
Augmenting double entry accounting, Constitution and professionalization of
municipal cadre, Preparation of GIS based Master Plans, Devolution of funds
and functionaries to urban local bodies, Review of Building By-laws, Setting
up financial intermediaries for pooling and disbursement of resources, Credit
Rating of urban local bodies, Energy and Water Audit and Achieving Swachh
Bharat Milestones.
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Central assistance to be used only for
infrastructure projects which have larger public benefit
Minimum
area norm for Retrofitting is 500 acres; for Redevelopment-50 acres; for
Green Field projects-250 acres. This will be 50% for North-Eastern and
Himalayan states.
Bench
marks to be achieved include : 10% of energy needs to be met from renewable
sources, 80% of building construction to be green and 35% of housing in green
field projects to be for economically weaker sections.
Special
Purpose Vehicles to be set up for implementation of smart city plans with
50:50 equity of States and Urban Local Bodies
An
Inter-departmental Task Force to be set up to coordinate all aspects of smart
city development
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Ownership
of houses to be in the name of woman
or jointly with husband
Houses
of 30 sq.mt carpet area to be built for EWS category. In case of
non-availability States can relax with the consent of beneficiaries. States
also can enhance the area while meeting the additional expenditure.
Central
grant of Rs.one lakh on an average per house to be provided by the Central
Government can be used by States for any slum redevelopment project in the
state to make them viable.
Interest
support @ 6.50% to be paid soon after sanction of loan to the beneficiary so
as to bring down EMI .
Beneficiaries
can submit Self-certificate/Affidavit as proof of income.
Under
Affordable Housing in Partnership with Private and Public Sector, 35% of
houses shall be for economically weaker sections and the minimum project size
shall be above 250 houses.
Central
Ministries/Agencies also to take up Slum Redevelopment Projects on their lands without charging for land
and will be eligible for central grant.
Under
In-situ Slum Redevelopment, Private developers to be chosen through open
tendering and it is developers’ responsibility to provide transit
accommodation during construction period. Private developers to be given only
that much of land required for commercial viability of project.
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