The Punjab government will soon establish state urban development mission (SUDM), an overarching body to direct policy and programme formulation for holistic development.
A decision to this effect was taken by Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal during a high-level meeting of local government department here to review the status of various ongoing development projects, an official spokesman said here.
Badal said that under this mission, the state government would spend Rs 8,635 crore to provide 100% basic amenities in terms of water supply and sewerage & sewage treatment plants (STPs), roads and slum development/ housing for urban poor in all towns of the state during the next three years.
He said that Rs 1,470 crore had already been spent on various ongoing development projects in 81 cities.
He emphasised that these ongoing works should be completed in a time-bound manner and schemes for the remaining 60 towns should also be prepared for implementation as early as possible.
Emphasising the need for decentralization of power to further strengthen urban local bodies, the chief minister decided that all municipalities of the state should be empowered to carry out their functions in accordance with statutes.
He desired that statutory reforms by way of enactment of community participation law and public disclosure law to improve the delivery of urban services and governance should be expedited.
{{/usCountry}}He desired that statutory reforms by way of enactment of community participation law and public disclosure law to improve the delivery of urban services and governance should be expedited.
{{/usCountry}}