Comprehensive plan to transform all cities, towns: Sidhu

Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu today said his government has chalked out a comprehensive plan to transform all the cities and towns of the state.
He said necessary funds were being arranged and released for development of cities.
No stone will be left unturned to develop the cities under the leadership of the Chief Minister, Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, he said.
The state local government minister said funds to the tune of Rs 2,127 crore have been approved for the development of the cities and that these will be released soon.
Sidhu alleged that the previous regime had approved Rs 2,054.05 crore for 122 cities, out of which only Rs 567.60 crore were released in December, 2016.

He said the developmental works pertaining to the cities were stalled owing to the non-release of funds, adding the present government was releasing rest of the Rs 1,540 crore amount.

He said the Congress-led state government had decided to review the works done during its six months tenure.
Under the urban mission, Rs 587 crore have been approved for the cities, he said.
On developmental works for corporation cities, Sidhu said Rs 139 crore and Rs 125 crore have been approved for the development of Ludhiana and Amritsar, respectively, while the amount for Jalandhar and Patiala would be approved soon.

He said the 'kaptaan e-Sewa' was being initialised under which procuring of all kinds of maps including those of houses through online mode would be started.
The Punjab minister also bated for transparency in state-run projects.
"Every site of developmental work will see a board depicting the name and contact number of the contractor, time of starting and ending of work, name of officer of department concerned and specifications of the work," he said.
Sidhu claimed that the previous Akali regime did not pay any attention to fire and emergency services, but the present government had formed a separate fire directorate as per the directions of the chief minister.

"Till now 68 fire tenders have been provided to the cities and 28 more new fire tenders would be provided soon. Fire week would be observed every year from next year," he said.
The minister further elaborated that the department has chalked out a plan to make all the local bodies self dependent.
He also added that a target of generating Rs 500 crore has been set as per the new outdoor advertising and parking policy which is being prepared at present.
He said Ludhiana alone has the capability to generate income of Rs 100 crore.
Sidhu also elaborated that the sewerages were clogged due to non-cleaning during previous years.

He said the department will start the cleaning work next year, four months prior to the monsoon season.
Besides that, 16 super suction machines are also being provided to the cities. The closed sewerage treatment plants would be re-started and the treated water would be made fit for irrigation purposes, the minister added.