The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday announced an urban employment scheme along the lines of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The sheme, to be implemented at a cost of ₹100 crore is aimed at improving the livelihoods of the urban poor, said K.N. Nehru Minister for Municipal Administration Urban and Water Supply, in the Assembly on Tuesday.
“In the current year, the scheme will be implemented in two zones in Greater Chennai Corporation, one zone each in other municipal corporations, one municipality each under the seven Regional Directorates of Municipal Administration and one town panchayat each in 37 districts,” he said while replying to the debate on demands for grants for his department.
He said unlike other states, the urban population in Tamil Nadu was growing fast, and it would reach 60% of the total population by 2036. A total of 4 crore people are living now in urban areas and this is 53% of the total population.
Mr. Nehru said, as announced in the budget, the government would implement the Kalaignar Urban Development Scheme at a cost of ₹1,000 crore. “Infrastructure, including community halls, markets and modern libraries will be created in municipalities and town panchayats,” he explained.
Water bodies, parks
Another announcement is ₹300 crore allocation for the Namakku Naame scheme, under which water bodies would be restored in all municipal corporations including the Greater Chennai Corporation and new parks would be set up. “We will create entertainment and sport facilities, plant trees, upgrade schools, set up health and learning centres, lay roads and install streetlights,” Mr. Nehru said.
He told the Assembly that 2,220 battery-run vehicles would be purchased in the next two years to reduce the burden of sanitary workers in town panchayats, who had been using push carts to collect solid waste. A total of 1,494 battery-run vehicles at a cost of ₹35 crore would be purchased in the current year.
The Minister said it was the goal of the government to establish one electric crematorium in all urban local bodies. In the current year 75 crematoria would be converted into electric ones at a cost of ₹112 crore.
In the Greater Chennai Corporation, 10 crematoria would be upgraded at a cost of ₹15 crore.
Mr. Nehru said the Victoria Memorial would be decorated with lights. “A total of 50 parks, including the Royapuram bridge park in Chennai would be upgraded at a cost of ₹50 crore. The Ripon Buildings will be decorated with lights at a cost of ₹2.75 crore,” he said.
