Bengal lags in JNNURM fund utilisation

The West Bengal government has failed to fully utilise funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) due to inability to raise finances on its own, according to Saugata Roy, Union minister of state, department of urban development.

At an interactive session organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BNCCI), Roy said, the state had been allocated Rs 3,018 crore under JNNURM, but it could utilise just about Rs 1,250 crore.

For the seven-year period between 2005 -12, a massive Rs 50,000 crore has been earmarked under JNNURM.

According to Roy, while Gujarat topped the list of states in terms of utilisation of JNNURM funds, followed by Maharashtra, West Bengal lagged behind due to lack of projects.

“Nearly Rs 1,700 crore is awaiting to be sanctioned to the state under JNNURM, but the state government is yet to submit any project reports,” he said.

In this regard, Roy will hold a meeting with officials of state urban development department on August 24, to discuss projects, especially water-related projects, which can be funded under JNNURM.

“Instead of focusing on infrastructure projects like highways, the West Bengal government should have focussed on projects related to the basic needs of human beings, like water and sewerage proejects,” the minister said.

West Bengal has also been sanctioned funds for purchasing 1,200 low-floor buses in Kolkata, and 100 buses in Asansol.

JNNURM has identified 65 cities as mission cities for infrastructure development, out of which only two fall in West Bengal, namely Kolkata and Asansol, according to Roy.

On Metro rail projects, Roy informed, recently the government had sanctioned the Metro rail project in Kochi, while Chandigarh had sought permission to have underground railways.

In Kolkata, one of the major issues pertaining the extension of the Metro rail was whether a special permission vehicle (SPV) or Indian Railways would build it, Roy said.