Question : FUNDS UNDER UIG AND JNNURM

(a) whether the progress of Urban Infrastructure Governance (UIG) has been adversely affected due to non-release of Rs. 95.18 crore for eight projects in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof and steps taken to release said grants;

(c) whether the works of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) Phase-I, package II and III is still pending in the absence of approval of the inception paper received from the State Governments;

(d) if so, the time by which the said approval is likely to be accorded;

(e) whether only 50% grant is permissible under JNNURM for Jaipur City;

(f) if so, whether the Union Government proposes to allow 80% grant under JNNURM projects sanctioned for Jaipur city on the lines of projects in Ajmer-Pushkar; and

(g) if so, the details thereof and the time by which said grants is likely to be provided?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SAUGATA ROY)

(a) & (b): As on date, there are requests for release of Additional Central Assistance (ACA) installments in respect of 69 projects in the country amounting to Rs.899.36 crore. The claims for second and subsequent installments of ACA are dependent upon the implementation of projects by States, utilization of funds up to 70% of ACA released and meeting reform commitments. Only those Utilization Certificates which are found to be in order and are accompanied by all supporting documents, in respect of the projects in the States/ULBs where significant progress in the implementation of the reforms has been achieved and which have not rolled back their reforms are approved by the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) for release of funds.

(c) & (d): No, Madam. The BRTS projects are sanctioned by CSMC based on DPR’s and not the inception report. So far a total of 21 (Twenty one) BRTS projects have been sanctioned in the country for 10 (ten) mission cities which are at various stages of implementation.

(e): Yes Madam, only 50% of approved project cost is admissible as Additional Central Assistance under JNNURM for Jaipur city.

(f) & (g): No, Madam. As per financing pattern under UIG of JNNURM, the ACA for the Cities/Urban Agglomerations (UAs) with million plus but less than four million population as per 2001 census is 50%. The City of Jaipur falls under this category. The cities/UAs having population of less than 1 million as per Census 2001 (except cities/towns/UAs in North-Eastern States and Jammu & Kashmir) are eligible for ACA of 80%. The City of Ajmer-Pushkar falls into this category.