JnNURM:Gujarat’s performance creates challenge for centre!

Graphic from The Telegraph

Ahmedabad, 30 January 2013

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today shared an article published in The Telegraph on Twitter. Modi in his tweet said, “Gujarat’s focus on execution excellence & outstanding performance in JNNURM puts UPA in a quandary yet again!”

If what has been said in this article published in The Telegraph is true, then it’s a serious matter of concern for Gujarat, so far as urban development drive is concerned.

The article claims that “Gujarat factor” has come in the way of the urban development ministry’s disbursal of funds for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission(JNNURM).

Gujarat has been the top performer in the first phase of JnNURM scheme with completion of 42 out of 71 sanctioned projects and achieving 87 per cent reforms, the highest among all states. Gujarat has also utilised 81 per cent allotted funds, second only to Maharashtra.

Based on the prformance-based fund allocation pattern, the largest chunk of funds in the next phase should go to Gujarat, but it is ruled by the rival BJP and therefore the centre is not comfortable with a proposal of performance-based fund allocation, the Telegraph report says quoting the sources.

Quating a senior official in government, the report addes that “Elections are just 12-14 months away. So, the government wants to utilise every penny in such a way that it will make a difference electorally.”

The report says, compared to Gujarat, the other states ruled by Congress and others like Rajasthan, Andhrar Pradesh and Bengal have not not fared well. These states have completed fewer sanctioned projects and have utilized lesser funds.

Full report on this link