Himachal minister urges Centre to relax Urban Challenge Fund criteria

Shimla, Mar 8 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh has urged the Centre to reconsider and relax the criteria set for the Urban Challenge Fund for the redevelopment of cities. He said that due to the tough geographical conditions and small population, the cities in the hill state do not meet the criteria established in the Fund.
     Singh, who met with Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal in New Delhi on Friday evening, requested that the criteria be fixed on a 90:10 basis for Himachal Pradesh, considering its hilly terrain, according to a statement issued on Saturday.
     The fund aims to finance up to 25 per cent of the costs for viable urban projects, with a condition that at least 50 percent of the funding comes from bonds, bank loans, or public-private partnerships (PPPs).
     He informed the Union Minister that the state has launched the "Citizen Service Portal" under the National Urban Digital Mission and requested Rs 70 crore from the Centre for the successful implementation of the scheme for five years.
     He added that the funds allocated by the state government for its implementation from its own resources will be exhausted by March 2025, and therefore, additional funds from the Union government are needed to effectively implement and sustain this initiative.
     He also requested Rs. 3.28 crore to clear liabilities under the National Urban Livelihood Mission. Furthermore, the Minister sought special funds for the construction of parking facilities and the development of urban infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh.
     The Union Minister assured all possible assistance to the state, the statement added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)