JNNURM II could see a three-fold increase in budget

The second phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme could see a three-fold hike in budget, Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath said on Monday.

"We are looking at .25% of the GDP. It will be almost two and a half times or rather three times the size of the first JNNURM," the minister told reporters in Delhi when asked what kind of financial support he expected in the next five year plan.

Nath also told reporters that in the next phase of the JNNURM, more cities could be added and plans could be drawn while keeping in mind the size of the urban areas.

"Everyone (states) has given good ideas and one of the ideas is that the big metropolitan municipal corporations and the smaller municipal councils should not be dealt on a common platform and separate plans should be created for smaller cities," Nath said.

In the second phase of JNNURM, more cities will be added to the scheme and discussions were on regarding selecting them. To a specific query, Nath, however, added that Indore and Gwalior will be among the cities which come under the JNNURM.

"We are discussing the issue of which cities to add and also some reforms in the system (under which JNNURM works)," Nath said.

"In the second phase when the scheme is launched then definitely Gwalior and Indore would be added to the list of the cities under JNNURM," he said.

The duration of the first phase of the JNNURM was seven years beginning from the year 2005-06 and the Urban Development and the Housing and Poverty Alleviation ministries are trying to form a framework for JNNURM II now, an official said.

Under JNNURM scheme, the central government financed several state schemes in projects that dealt with integrated development of slums and housing, water supply, sewerage, drainage, community toilets, and baths.

Transport, street lighting, civic amenities like community halls, child care centres and convergence of health, education and social security schemes for the urban poor were also among areas which were financed under JNNURM's first phase.