The HUDCO will examine the project reports submitted by the State/UTs and will assist by way of landing for the identified compo- nents. The scheme will be monitored by the Town and Country Planning Organisation. The assistance for the towns which have already been selected under the erstwhile IDSMI will be continued during the Eighth Plan.
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The proposed coverage of additional towns during Eighth Plan under modified IDSMT is about 200.
13.37 Environmental Improvement of Urban Slums
The scheme was made an integral part of the Minimum Needs Programme in 1974 and transferred to the State Sector. The scheme is applicable to notified slums in all urban areas ad aims at provision of basic amenities like water supply, services, storm water drains, community baths and latrines, widening and paving of existing lanes and pathways and street lighting. During the Seventh Plan, the scheme provided for a per capita expenditure of Rs.300/- Against the target of 76.91 lakh slum dwellers, 99.78 lakhs slum dwellers were covered during the Seventh Plan. During 1990-91, the targeted number of bene- ficiaries was 15.40 lakhs, against which the achievement was 19.35 lakhs. The per capita expenditure was enhanced to Rs. 525/- from 1991- 92. During the Eighth Plan, the scope of the EIUS is being widened to ensure that the EIUS, the Urban Basic Services Programme, the HRY and the Scheme of Liberation of Scavengers form a coordinated whole. Assurance of providing tenurial rights and evolving feasible cost recovery mechanisms are important pre-conditions of the success of the programme in a longer term context.
13.38 Urban Basic Services for the Poor
The Urban Basic Services Scheme (UBSS) was initiated on a pilot basis in 1986, with the involvement of UNICEF and the State Governments. The Programme aimed at child survival and development; provision of learning opportunities for woman and children and commu- nity organisation for slum population. The services, meant to be delivered, included environmental sanitation, primary health care, pre-school learning, vocational training and convergence of other social services at the slum level.
The Urban Basic Services for the Poor (UBSP) is a revised scheme based on the experience of UBSS. The revised scheme includes assistance to mentally retarded and handicapped children, rehabilita- tion of alcoholics and drug addicts, and special programmes for street children. It also enables formation of registered societies/coopera- tives of slum dwellers at the community level. The scheme is to oper- ate on the principle of convergence of programmes aimed at the urban poor. The Central Government will give Rs. 175/- per capita for provi- sion of social services in the first year of a new project. In addi- tion, the State Government will provide Rs. 525/- per capita for physical amenities. From the second year onwards the per capita provi- sion will be limited to the recurring component of Rs. 88/- per capi- ta. This will be shared on matching basis between the Centre and the State. The scheme will also include provisions for strengthening of Urban Local Bodies, NGOS, some physical works, and creation of an organisation for monitoring and evaluation and organisation of market- ing assistance. The scheme proposes to cover about 10 million urban poor during the Eighth Plan.
13.39 Nehru Rozgar Yojana
The Nehru rozgar Yojana was launched in October, 1989. It is targetted towards persons living below the poverty line in urban areas (i.e. households with an annual household income of Rs. 11850/- at 1991-92 prices). Within the target group of the urban poor the Sched- uled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes will have special coverage through earmarking of funds for these sections. The NRY consists of the following three schemes:
i) The Scheme of Urban-Micro Enterprises (SUME)
The SUME is designed to encourage unemployed and under-em- ployed youth to take-up self-employment ventures in all urban settle- ments. The scheme envisages that 30% of beneficiaries should be woman. The scheme has loan-cum-subsidy component and the training and infra- structure component. Under the loan and subsidy component, 25% of the project cost is given as a subsidy, subject to a ceiling of Rs. 5000/- for SCs/STs and woman and Rs. 4000/- for others. It is now proposed that loans upto Rs. 30,000/- per unit may be given by banks. The training component is aimed at upgradation of technical and commercial skills of the beneficiaries. Infrastructural support in relation to common facility centres, job centres, design centres technology upgra- dation, marketing etc., is provided. Upto 30% of the funds earmarked for training and infrastructure support can be used for this purpose.
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ii) The Scheme of Urban Wage Employment (SUWE)
This scheme is designed to provide employment to the urban poor through the creation of socially and economically useful assets in the low income reighbourhoods in towns with a population below one lakhs. Works like community centres, common worksheds, common selling places for the poor, paving of lanes, low cost water supply, construction of drains and sewers, pay and use community baths cum Latrines and chil- drens ponds could be included in the scheme. The material Labour ratio is 60:40. While the unskilled labourers are to be paid statutory minimum wages, the skilled labourers would receive market wages. The beneficiaries of the scheme would be the urban poor. The works under the scheme have to be departmentally executed.
iii) The Scheme of Housing and Shelter Upgradation (SHASU)
The scheme aims providing employment for persons involved in housing and building activities. The scheme has two components viz. Training and subsidy cum-loan assistance. The t raining component is meant for skill upgradation of masons, carpenters, plumbers, sanitary workers, electricians and others engaged in construction trades as well as infrastructure support for common facilities to beneficiaries and machinery equipment to training institutions. The scheme is operative in urban settlements having a population between 1 Lakh and 20 Lakhs with relaxation in the population criteria for hilly states, UTs and new industrial townships. HUDCO is monitoring this component of NRY and also provides the requisite institutional finance.
Sharing of Expenditure and Operation The training component of SUME and SHASU has been entirely provided for by the Central Government. The remaining expenditure under SUME and SHASU has been shared on 50:50 basis respectively between the Central Government and the State Governments. The SUWE expenditure has been shared on 80:20 basis between the Central Govern- ment and the State Governments. During Eighth Plan period, the expend- iture under all the three schemes is proposed to be shared between the Central Government and the State Government uniformly on 60:40 basis. At the State level, a State Urban Development Agency will monitor the NRY. At the district level, the District Urban Development Agencies will be entrusted with the implementation of the scheme, while at the town level it will be entrusted to the Urban local Bodies. The commu- nity structures created under Urban Basic Services for the poor will be mobilised for the NRY, as it will be implemented in convergence with other schemes.
Scheme for Educated Unemployed of Employment Generation in Urban
Local Bodies (SEEGUL) This scheme in towns with a population above one lakh seeks to provide self employment opportunities for the educated unemployed. The scheme aims at providing training to beneficiaries for the enhancement of their technical skills. The scheme is targetted at all the unem- ployed persons who are matriculates, ITI diploma holders or have attended a Government sponsored technical training course of at least six months duration and whose family income does not exceed Rs. 24,000/- per annum. The scheme entails a 15% subsidy on project cost subject to ceiling of Rs. 7500/-. The entrepreneurs will contribute 10% of the project cost, and the remaining 75% will be available as Bank Loans without collateral/guarantee on security requirements.
National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) 10.34 The Regional Plan - 2001 for the National Capital Region ap- proved by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) has the following objectives:
i) reducing pressure of population in Delhi; and
ii) achieving a balanced and harmonious development of the National Capital Region.
13.41 The specific aims of the NCR Plan are:- (i) containing the growth of Delhi UT within a manageable population size of 112 lakhs by 2001 AD, (ii) moderate growth of Delhi Metropolitan Area (DMA), excluding Delhi UT, to accommodate a total population of 38 lakhs by 2001 AD, and (iii) induced growth of the rest of the region to hold 49 lakhs of urban population in towns/complexes identified for priority develop- ment i.e. 19 lakhs additional population in priority towns between 1990 and 2001 AD.
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13.42 The main thrust areas during the Eighth Plan are as follows:-
i) Large scale employment generation in priority towns by making available developed land;
ii) Development of Regional infrastructure: Transport, and Telecommu- nications;
iii) Development of local infrastructure in priority and DMA towns; and
iv) Development of State highways and transmission and distribution system for power in the State grid.
13.43 The NCR Plan envisages that the State Governments will play a role in operationalising the programmes, conceiving appropriate schemes/projects, financing and implementing the programmes. The Central Government is expected to play a lead role in the implementa- tion of the development programmes. A conducive financial and legal climate will be created to enlist the participation of the private sector. The HUDCO and other financial institutions are also expected to finance the infrastructure development programmes in the NCR sub- regions.
13.44 The activities proposed to be taken up during the Eighth Plan are as follows:
i) Land Acquisition and Development for residential use and economic activities;
ii) Development of Sub-Regional Centres;
iii) Development of Counter Magnet Areas;
iv) Institutional strengthening for Plan Implementation;
v) Upgradation of regional roads;
vi) Development of Power Transmission & Distribution; and
vii) Augmentation and Rehabilitation of Urban Infrastructure in DMA and Priority Towns.
13.45 The NCRPB is to be provided outlays, through the budget of Ministry of Urban Development, for extending loan assistance to States/Implementating Agencies. The States/Implementating Agencies will have to provide funds on a matching basis for land acquisition and development of regional centres and development of counter magnet areas while financial institutions such as HUDCO will be involved in local infrastructure schemes. In addition, schemes relating to Nation- al Highways, Express ways, Railways, Telecommunications an Power are proposed for which funds may be provided by the Central Ministries.
Urban Mapping and Research and Training 13.46 There is presently no agency to compile and maintain the requi- site data and maps for preparation of developmental plans of towns. In order to fill this gap, a three tier Urban and Regional Information System is proposed to be created at the national, the state and the local levels. preparation of large scale base maps with the help of aerial photographs for about 50 fast growing towns is proposed. These maps may also be used for assessment and monitoring of property values in large cities.
13.47 Spatial Planning Approach, to achieve maximum coordination between the sectoral and spatial plans as well as total investment plan for the region is to be adopted during the Eighth Plan. This will require preparation of regional plans by States, in which endeavour the Central Government will extend necessary technical assistance for carrying out pilot studies in representative regions/districts and for drawing up an Implementation Plan linked with various programmes.
13.48 The planning units will also be strengthened to carry out this task of preparation of an Urban Development Strategy Paper for the State which will outline the developmental priorities of each town based on the economic function and role of the town within its dis- trict/regional context.
13.49 It is expected that during first three years of the Eighth Plan, exercise under paras 13.47 and 13.48 above will provide the base for orienting future programmes of urban development sector to a long-term development plan of each priority town/city in a regional centre.
Urban Transport 364
13.50 The transport problems of urban areas, and specially those of the metropolises, have not received due attention in the past. Mean- while, the traffic has continued to multiply with the result that the urban transport infrastructure in almost all large cities is on the verge of a breakdown. In the absence of reliable public transport, people are compelled to resort to private vehicles, which has aggra- vated congestion, pollution and energy intensity. There is no single agency to plan, coordinate or execute transport policies and pro- grammes in urban areas.
13.51 It is in this context that the subject of planning and coordina- tion of Urban Transport was entrusted to the Ministry of Urban Devel- opment in 1986 and in 1988-89 an Urban Transport Consortium Fund was created, which has since been employed to assist State Governments in taking up feasibility studies for Urban Transportation Systems. This appears to be a modest achievement because the objective of this was to involve the concerned Ministries of the Government of Indian, State Governments, financial institutions and local bodies in planning, coordination and execution of urban transport projects.
13.52 The Eighth Plan will continue the Consortium Approach initiated earlier. It may be worthwhile to consider the creation of a financial institution for funding urban transport projects on soft terms as also to explore involvement of private/joint sector agencies in the devel- opment of transport systems. The research and development priorities during the Eighth Plan include - development of Urban Bus and intro- duction of energy efficient transit systems. The participation of the Ministry of Railways in developing mass rapid transport system in mega cities appears to be crucial. A comprehensive study of urban transport is also long overdue and is proposed to be undertaken during the Eighth Plan.
Outlays on Urban Development During the Eighth Five Year Plan 13.53 The outlays on urban development sector during the Eighth Plan reflect the reorientation of urban development strategy and thrust areas. Thus, the IDSMT for which actual expenditure during the Seventh Plan (1985-90) was Rs. 80.03 crores, is being enhanced to Rs. 150 crores as central assistance in its modified form. This will be sup- plemented by larger loans assistance from HUDCO. A complementary programme in the water supply sector for towns below 20,000 is also envisaged with central assistance of Rs. 50 crores. The Scheme of UBSP is also receiving a step-up to Rs. 150 crores compared to average of Rs. 24 crores annually during last two annual plans. The outlay on NCRPB will be Rs. 200 crores as compared to Rs. 35 crores during the Seventh Plan. This Central assistance has to be matched by contribu- tion from the State Governments in accordance with investment plan prepared by the NCRPB. The outlay on urban development in the States sector is also being revised from Rs. 1633 crores in the Seventh Plan to Rs. 4154 crores during the Eighth Plan.
13.54 State and Central Sector outlays on Urban Development are pre- sented in the following table:
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Table - 7
Outlays on Urban Development for the Eighth Five Year Plan
(Rs. in crores)
S. Description Eighth Plan
No. Total Outlay
(1992-97)
Budgetary Support IEBR Total
1. States and UTs 4154.02
2. Central Government
2.1 Integrated Development 150.0
of Small and Medium
Towns
2.2 Nehru Rozgar Yojna 250.0
2.3 Urban Basic Services 150.0
for the Poor
2.4 Contribution to NCR 200.0
Planning Board
2.5 Other Schemes 35.0
3. Total (Central Sector) 785.0 600* 1385
* Out of total IEBR of Rs. 1685 crores for Housing, Urban Development, Water Supply and Sanitation about Rs. 600 crores can be notionally allocated to urban development.
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