Stating this in the Lok Sabha today, Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath put the onus on implementation of the JNNURM scheme on the state governments.
"We want to give attention to smaller cities in the second phase of JNNURM. Nobody has given attention to town and cities with population of 10,000 to 50,000," he said, replying to the debate on Demand for Grants of Ministry of Urban Development for 2012-13.
The Demand for Grants was passed by voice vote after rejection of six cut motions.
The minister admitted that migration to metropolitans can be dealt only when urban infrastructure in smaller cities and towns are improved.
In the first phase of the mission, the cities with a population of one million or more were included, he said, adding, in the second phase, the government is planning to include cities with a population five lakh and above.
The minister said there was need to constitute state municipal services to improve implementation of the schemes like JNNURM and administration of local bodies.
