By Biswa Bhusan Mohapatra
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Dec 18: The housing and urban development (H&UD) department has sought `Rs252 crore under eight projects for Nabakalebara festival scheduled to held in Puri in July next year.
The demand comes in response to the request of the Planning Commission of India for detailed proposals to avail funds for the mega event.
“There is need of huge infrastructure development. There is infrastructure for 1.5 lakh people in Puri town but the city will have to cater to Rs 50 lakh people during the festival. So, we have requested the Union government to release `252.52 crore for implementation of eight projects,” said a senior official of the H&UD department.
The department requested funds for five new projects and three on-going projects. It demanded `Rs 104.65 crore to provide 24/7 water supply to the holy town, `Rs 38.08 crore for upgradation and widening of roads and upgradation and construction of covered drains.
It sought `Rs 72 crore for the on-going stormwater drainage project for Puri town, `Rs16.56 crore and `Rs14.84 crore for execution of municipal solid waste management of Lord Jagannath temple periphery and grand road and installation of high mast, mini-mast and streetlights, respectively.
As much as `Rs 6.39 crore has been demanded for construction, operation and maintenance of public and community toilets, upgradation of Puri bus stand and operationalisation of the programme management unit (PMU) for Nabakalebara festival.
“Considering the low resource base and limited capacity of the civic body, financial support for undertaking priority projects and completing on-going projects as well as institutional support through a PMU is urgently required so that the grand festival is held without any hiccup. In this context, the department proposes to solicit the financial support through one-time central assistance,” the department wrote.
Recently, the Planning Commission of India asked the state government to submit detailed proposals to avail fund for the mega event. The state government had then sought proposals from all administrative departments.
Earlier in May 2013, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written to then Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia seeking special central assistance of `Rs 1,397 crore for the mega event.