Government looks westward for funds

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has set up Orissa Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (OUIDF) to finance infrastructure projects in urban areas. Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Sarada Prasad Nayak in his reply to the discussion on demand of grants for the Department said the OUIDF had kick-started its operations with a start-up fund of 25 million pounds from DFID of Britain and 35 million euro from German banking group KfW. The OUIDF will have the mandate to prepare, formulate and implement urban infrastructure projects covering land development, sanitation, road management and transport.The OUIDF would give financial assistance to urban local bodies (ULBs), statutory boards, departments, public sector undertakings and private investors for setting up infrastructure projects in the State. Since urban infrastructure projects in Odisha do not receive adequate budgetary support and the financial support is mostly scheme-based, the State Government is banking on support from international agencies like the DFID and the KfW. The Minister said a comprehensive sewerage programme has been prepared for Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack at an estimated cost of ` 80.45 crore, ` 754.23 crore and ` 756.36 crore respectively. In view of the increasing population of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, detailed project reports for phase-II sewerage programme of the twin cities were prepared and submitted to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for funding. While management of solid waste has emerged as a major problem in the urban centres, the Minister said the Government has provided 62 acres in Bhuasuni mouza for establishment of an integrated solid waste management project. The Government has introduced e-Municipality project in 44 municipal councils with assistance from Tata Consultancy Service to improve the service delivery system in the municipalities and municipal corporations. The Minister said the Government is going to launch Rajiv Awas Yojana on pilot basis at Rangamatia, on the outskirts of the city, to rehabilitate slum-dwellers. The pilot project has been approved by the Centre.