This is in addition to the Rs 1,200 crore sanctioned by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the Brihanmumbai Stormwater Drainage project.
MUMBAI: The state government, the centre and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday signed a pact on Rs 5,548 crore worth developmental projects for the city under the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM).
This is in addition to the Rs 1,200 crore sanctioned by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the Brihanmumbai Stormwater Drainage project, Minister of State in the PMO, Prithviraj Chavan said.
"Today is a red-letter day in the history of Mumbai's development," Chavan said. His sentiments were echoed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, who thanked the prime minister for taking a personal interest in Mumbai's development.
The following mega projects were submitted to the Centre for financial assistance: Middle Vaitarna water supply (Rs 1,369 crore), Mumbai Sewage Disposal project stage II (Rs 1,896 crore), Mithi river development (Rs 1,284 crore) and Mumbai Urban Infrastructure project (Rs 998 crore).
"The prime minister wants a pro-poor programme. His concern is that the programme (NURM) should not look pro-elitist," Rajamani, joint secretary in Union Urban development department, said.
The chief minister requested the centre for allocation of separate funds for the Mithi river development as it did in case of Brimstowad project.
Deshmukh, however, said that due to BMC's good fiscal position, the corporation would raise additional funds through internal borrowing.
"Today's agreement is a historic landmark for municipal administration reforms, which will enable large municipal bodies to raise bonds and become financially independent ... even from state governments," Chavan said.
Mayor Datta Dalvi thanked the centre for allocation of funds for Mumbai development projects. "We hope that the centre continues to maintain this generous attitude," he added.
Today's development assumes significance in the backdrop of the BMC elections, barely four months away.
Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, which are in opposition in the civic body, are trying to oust the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party combine from power in BMC.
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