THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT (SMT. DEEPA DASMUNSHI)
(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. The High Powered Expert Committee (HPEC) set up by the Government of India has assessed the
investment requirements for Urban Infrastructure and Services to be of the order of Rs.39.2 lakh crore at 2009-10 prices
over 20 year period, while the Operation & Maintenance (O&M) requirement has been assessed at Rs.19.9 lakh crore. Details
of summary and recommendation of High Powered Expert Committee is at Annexure-I.
(c) & (d): The Committee is of the view that India’s municipal corporations, municipalities and nagar panchayats, commonly
known as urban local bodies (ULBs) need to be strengthened as local self-government with clear functions, independent
financial resources, and autonomy to take decisions on investment and service delivery. They must also be made accountable
to citizens. It further says that the Government of India will have to take a leadership role in financing a major part of
the programme and, at the same time, facilitate and encourage the involvement of State governments and ULBs. State
governments will have to contribute by way of a constitutionally mandated revenue-sharing arrangement with the ULBs.
On their part, the ULBs will carry out reforms in governance and financing to deliver public services of specified norms
to all including the poor. This should be dome within a framework of accountability. Rising aspirations of the increasing
numbers of people in urban India will make further demands on ULBs, and community participation will be an important factor
in ensuring accountability
(e): Details of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of 11 States which have achieved the 100 percent Operation & Maintenance cost
recovery in water supply scheme under Urban Infrastructure & Governance (UIG) Sub-Mission of Jawaharlal Nehru National
Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) is at Annexure-II.
