Rs 117.70 cr released for urban development: Anil Joshi

Punjab govt has released Rs 117.70 crore for the urban development to the local bodies which include Muncipal Corporations, Councils and Panchayats. Stating this here today, Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi said this grant had been released as first instalment for 2015-16 by the 14th Financial Commission to the urban local bodies under the non plan scheme. He said that under this scheme, a sum of Rs 15.26 crore had been released to Ludhiana, Rs 13.83 crore to Amritsar, Rs 6.73 crore to Jalandhar, Rs 4.14 crore to Pathankot, Rs 2.69 crore each to Patiala and Bathinda, Rs 2.22 crore to Mohali, Rs 1.66 crore to Moga, Rs 1.59 crore to Hoshiarpur and Rs 1,15 crore to Phagwara. Anil Joshi said similarly, grants had been released to other council committees and panchayats on the criteria of income per person. He stressed upon the implementation of Sawch Bharat Abhian and said this grant will be utilised for development of cities. He said main focus will be on providing better infrastructural facilities and cleanliness of cities. The Minister has instructed the senior officials of the department to utilise the grants in transparent manner so that ultimate goal to provide proper better facilities to the common man could be achieved.