Ahead of civic elections, the Maharashtra Government has loosened its purse strings to offer a Rs 315 crore boost for a slew of projects spread across the city. The Urban Development Department (UDD) has released the money for taking up infrastructure works that include the development of footpaths, gardens, streetlights, sewage networks and so on. With elections for choosing a new body of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) likely to be held sometime in the December-January period, the funds crunch that hit the project would be resolved with the availability of a fresh infusion from State.

 

State Government issued two separate GRs about the allocation of funds to NMC; one was for Rs 175 crore and the otherfor Rs 140 crore for the list of works proposed by the civic body. The funds being provided to NMC is quite a pittance since majority of State Government-backed projects are languishing owing to lack of money. NMC on its own tried to keep the momentum going but given its low revenue base, it couldn’t succeed A few months back, keeping in mind the requirement of city to meet the future needs and improve the basic infra, NMC sent a list of work seeking funds from State Government.

 

The funds would come in handy to improve the civic infrastructure and upgrade it at required places. The works include changing the old pipelines, improving gardens, public toilets, improving the streetlight network, etc. Mainly the State infusion of funds would help in improving the sewage network in North Nagpur. Also the pending issue of upgrading the drinking water supply network would also be carried out now. Similarly, improvement in traffic-related issues in West Nagpur is also on the cards.