FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS IN HANDLING AND PROCESSING URBAN WASTE

Most of the Municipalities are facing serious financial constraints in handling and processing the urban waste. The Ministry has launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) with a view to improve infrastructure facilities in urban areas of the country including solid waste management. Out of the 65 Mission cities covered under JNNURM, solid waste management projects for 40 towns have been approved at an estimated cost of Rs. 2186.14 crore till date. Under UIDSSMT, 51 projects have been approved at an estimated cost of Rs. 327.02 crore till November, 2009.

Under the “Central Sector Scheme of Solid Waste Management and Drainage in 10 Selected IAF Airfield Towns”, Solid Waste Management projects for 10 airfield towns having Indian Air Force stations have been approved at an estimated cost of Rs. 130.67 crore. Out of 10 schemes, six schemes have been completed so far and the remaining four schemes are at different stages of implementation.

Under the North Eastern Region Urban Development Programme Phase-I which is under implementation with Asian Development Bank (ADB) assistance, five solid waste management projects will be implemented in the cities of Agartala (Tripura), Aizawl (Mizoram), Gangtok (Sikkim), Kohima (Nagaland) and Shillong (Meghalaya) at a cost of Rs.77.32 crore.

Under the 10% lumpsum scheme for infrastructure development in the northeast region including Sikkim, five projects have been approved since the year 2001-02 at a cost of Rs. 1759.73 lakh.

The 12th Finance Commission has recommended devolution of Rs. 2500.00 crore over a period of 5 years starting from 1st April, 2005 to 31st March, 2010 for providing appropriate collection & transportation systems, compost plants and sanitary landfill for solid waste management in 423 Class-I cities and state capitals as per 2001 Census.

A statement showing State-wise allocation, release of (TFC) grants to urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and amount spent on the schemes of the Solid Waste Management is placed at Annexure-I.

ANNEXURE-I

Allocation of ULB grants for State Governments, release and amount spent on the scheme of Solid Waste Management during 2005-10

As on 15-12-2009                                            Rs in Lakhs)

This information was given by Shri Saugata Roy, Minister of State, Urban Development  in Rajya Sabha