Aiming to boost the infrastructure and civic amenities in the State capital, the State budget has earmarked ₹500 crore for re-launching the ‘Chennai Mega City Development Mission.’
“There is a growing demand for providing better amenities and upgrading the infrastructure facilities in urban areas due to the increasing urbanisation in the State,” Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said in his budget presentation on Thursday.
For providing basic amenities and upgrading urban infrastructure like roads, drinking water supply and sewerage facilities in the extended areas of the Greater Chennai Corporation, the government would re-launch the ‘Chennai Mega City Development Mission’ for which ₹500 crore was being allocated for 2018-2019, he said.
As for towns and cities not covered under the ‘Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation’ (AMRUT) scheme, the government has decided to re-launch the ‘Integrated Urban Development Mission’ (IUDM) from 2018-2019 and ₹750 crore is allocated in this Budget for this purpose.
A comprehensive flood management plan for North Chennai and South Chennai has been prepared at an estimate of ₹2,055.67 crore and ₹1,243.15 crore, respectively, and submitted to the Central government for support, he said. A new ‘Amma Green Park’ would be developed at Guindy at a cost of ₹20 crore, he added.
Restoring marshlands
Under the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change, the State government would commence the eco-restoration of 695 hectares of the Pallikaranai marshlands which would be implemented over five years from 2018-2019 to 2022-2023 at a cost of ₹165.68 crore. “In the Budget Estimates 2018-2019, ₹25 crore has been allocated for this project. A sum of ₹649.34 crore has been allocated for the Environment and Forests Department,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister also said that the government would acquire private lands and will issue free house site pattas to rehabilitate the displaced poor living in poromboke lands and watercourses. The displaced families would also be covered under the regular housing programmes, he added.
