Municipalities to earmark funds for urban poor

The West Bengal government on Friday passed the The West Bengal Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2011, following which municipalities would have to earmark 25 per cent of their funds for development of urban poor.

The Bill, which was tabled in the assembly on Friday, contained provisions that municipalities would create a separate fund Rs Basic Services for the Urban Poor' out of their own budgets and others sources like central funds and sale of municipal assets.

The basic services would include water supply, drainage, sewerage, construction of community toilets, solid waste management and other things.