State urban development minister Nitin Patel said that the Central government's refusal to include the two cities under JNNURM was against the scheme's guidelines.
The state government has reacted angrily to the Central government's decision not to allow inclusion of state capital Gandhinagar and Karamsad, the karmabhoomi of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
State urban development minister Nitin Patel said that the Central government's refusal to include the two cities under JNNURM was against the scheme's guidelines.
"JNNURM guidelines clearly say that any city or town with historical significance can be included. The state government was pushing for inclusion of Karamsad under JNNURM, but the Centre has rejected our demand. This is unfortunate," Patel told reporters.
The minister said that the demand to include Gandhinagar under the Centrally sponsored scheme had also been rejected. "All other state capitals are covered under JNNURM, but unfortunately, Gandhinagar has not found a place under the scheme,"
Patel added.
He described the decision as another example of the Centre's injustice to the state. "The Central government has deprived Gandhinagar and Karamsad of large funds by refusing to cover them under the mission. This is one more instance of injustice to Gujarat," he said.
Union minister of state for urban development, Saugata Roy, in a letter to chief minister Narendra Modi, said that it was not feasible to include any more cities under JNNURM.
"As per guidelines of JNNURM, the number of cities covered under the mission shall remain around 60. At present, there are 65 cities covered under JNNURM. Guidelines do not permit any further additions," Roy said in the letter dated September 15. The Union minister also said that financial resources under the 11th Five Year Plan were already tied up and inclusion of additional cities under JNNURM may not find support from the planning commission and finance ministry.
"Moreover, JNNURM is in its last year (2005-2012) and as such it may not be feasible to consider inclusion of any city under its UIG," Roy added in the letter.
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