Government committed for development of cities and provide amenities to people: CP Singh

Ranchi: Urban Development Minister CP Singh said that the government was committed for development of cities and providing basic amenities of life to the people of the cities as part of which work was going on various projects of drinking water, roads, power, toilet, housing and sewerage drainage.

Addressing a Press Conference at the Suchna Bhawan here is said that in the last 4.5 years many ambitious schemes have been realised on the ground. He said that 24 percent of the population in the state amounts to 80 lakh people live in the cities.

Mr Singh said that the number of municipal bodies in the state had been increased to 51 while apart from MADA in Dhanbad and RIADA in Ranchi process was on to form four new regional development authorities.

The Minister said that the state government was committed to providing- houses at affordable rates to the people and said that since 2015 in the entire state 1.80 lakh homes under PMAY has been approved out of which 48567 homes have been constructed while process was on to construct another 44233 homes. He said that in September Griha Pravesh of 15,000 homes will be done and foundation for 34,333 homes will be laid.

He said that in HEC area of Ranchi on 656.30 acre of land work on construction of a green field smart city was on. He said that the smart city will be constructed at a cost of Rs 3000 crore for which 36 schemes have been approved and work was on 27 projects. The Minister said that Urban civic tower will come up in smart city at cost of Rs 183 crore, convention centre 406.07 crore, Jharkhand Urban Planning Management Institue Rs 107 crore, command control and communication center, Rs 469.38 crore on integrated infrastructure development including road construction, power, utility duct, cycle lane would be available. He said that in the smart city about 70,000 people will be residing.

The Minister said that the government was committed to providing clean drinking water to the people and set that in the last 4 years 2.12 lakh water connections have been issued through which 10.61 lakh population is being provided pure drinking water and in the next four years at target has been set to provide clean drinking water to another 31.75 lakh people.

Mr Singh said all urban civic municipal bodies have been declared ODF and said that in the last four years in the entire state 2.17 lakh individual toilets, 566 community toilets, 308 modular toilets and 73 unit modular community toilets have been built. The Minister also highlighted other achievements of his department. Those who were also present on the occasion included Urban Development Secretary Ajay Kumar Singh, Town Commissioner Manoj Kumar, IPRD Director Ram Lakhan Prasad Gupta.