Andhra cities gets 39 projects under JNNURM

Visakhapatnam: The three cities chosen in Andhra Pradesh Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), have been sanctioned 39 projects worth Rs 3,770 crore, and many more are under consideration, according to Dr M. Ramachandran, Secretary, the Union Ministry of Urban Development.

At a press meet after reviewing the JNNURM works taken up here, he said that Andhra Pradesh was one of the few States aggressively pursuing projects under the scheme and “we feel more resources are required for the urban schemes in the country and the ministry has recommended to the Planning Commission additional allocation.”

He said that so far 338 projects, costing Rs 32,230 crore, had been approved in the country and they were under implementation. “As far as Visakhapatnam is concerned, 17 projects have been sanctioned for the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,575 crore and very soon, three more projects costing Rs 410 crore are likely to get the approval,” he said.

Mr Ramachandran commended the efforts of the GVMC in implementing the projects and said the progress was satisfactory. “The GVMC has gone in for credit rating and is issuing bonds shortly. It is quite commendable. Other cities should also emulate Visakhapatnam and mobilise additional resources,” he said.