Punjab plan on urban civic amenities

The Punjab government is contemplating a multi-crore comprehensive plan to improve infrastructure and civil amenities within municipal corporation limits on a build-operate-transfer basis.

Choudhary Jagjit Singh, Punjab local bodies minister, while unveiling the plant, said the state government had decided to carry out development projects within municipal limits in every city on a BoT basis to provide civil amenities to the urban dwellers.

"This concept was earlier introduced in Jalandhar, where Rs 25 crore was being spent to construct two railway overbridges, two underground parking lots and three overbridges to improve infrastructure in the city," he said, adding that the concept of public-private partnership was a reality nowadays.

The minister, accompanied by the mayor of Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, Surinder Mahey, said a sum of Rs 20.71 crore would be generated during a period ranging from five to seven years through allotment of advertisement rights from private contractors, who would be responsible for construction and maintenance of green belts, street lights, buss queue shelters and urinals.

"Following the success of this pilot project in Jalandhar, we have decided to encourage other civil bodies to come forward with such projects in their areas for approval.

A comprehensive policy is being framed to ensure complete transparency in the feasibility and allotment of such BOT projects, he said adding that it would completely transform the face of the urban areas in the years to come.

Regarding abolition of octroi in the state, the minister maintained that Congress government was committed to abolish octroi soon and the Punjab, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh would shortly take final decision in the regard.

The present income from octroi is estimated to be Rs 750 crore per year, he added.