'Investment potential of Rs 18 lakh cr in new urban sector

Centre's new urban sector initiatives have a total investment potential of Rs 18 lakh crore, Urban Development Minister Vennkaiah Naidu today said and claimed that the government has set in motion a "new urban renaissance".
In the last two years, the government has launched various projects for urban sector such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Housing for All (Urban), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Smart City Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission and Heritage Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY).
"The new urban missions launched have a total identified investment potential of Rs 18 lakh crore," Naidu said, while giving an account of Urban Development and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Ministries' initiatives during the last two years.

Out of this Rs 18 lakh crore investment potential, a total investment of about Rs 1,48,100 crore has been approved during 2015-16, the minister said, adding that it includes over Rs 43,900 crore for affordable housing, about Rs 80,780 crore for 33 smart city plans, about Rs 20,880 crore for Atal Mission, around Rs 2,000 crore for Swachh Bharat Mission and Rs 500 crore for HRIDAY.
Naidu said as a part of efforts for country's progress higher levels of social and economic development, "renaissance of urban sector" has been set in motion through a "paradigm shift in policies and programmes".

Giving details of various initiatives of the government during the last two years, Naidu said for the first time in the country, 98 smart cities and 497 Atal Mission cities covering over 70 per cent of urban population now have long-term five-year action plans based on comprehensive analysis of infrastructure gaps.

Comparing its performance with the UPA government, Naidu said the Central assistance for improving basic infrastructure in urban areas has been increased to Rs 1,13,143 crore under new urban missions as against only Rs 33,902 crore during 2004-14.
For affordable housing for urban poor, Central assistance of Rs 10,050 crore has already been approved as against Rs 17,889 crore during the previous ten years, he added.

"6.84 lakh houses have already been sanctioned for Economically Weaker Sections under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) accounting for more than half of 13.70 lakh houses sanctioned during 2004-14 out of which only 8.04 lakh houses could be built," Naidu said.
On the occasion, Naidu also released a publication 'Urban Renaissance : May, 2014-May, 2016' giving a detailed account of governance for urban revival during the last two years.
Responding to a query on Goods and Services Tax Bill, Naidu also Parliamentary Affairs Minister said, "Apprehensions and reservations about GST have been addressed by Finance Minister in the last one year. Of the issues raised by the Congress party, two issues have been addressed to their satisfaction. We are in touch with the opposition and it is a continuous process. Overall, I am confident that we have the numbers in our favour.