New Delhi: The central government has committed financial assistance of Rs 35989.70 crore for development of total 500 cities across the country under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), of which it has committed assistance of Rs2069.96 crore for development of 31 cities of Gujarat. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs Shri Hardeep Singh Puri provided the information in Rajya Sabha on April 5, 2018 replying to a question raised by MP Shri Parimal Nathwani.

The statement tabled in the house said that the total allocation for the projects including State share for 31 cities of Gujarat is Rs4884.42, crore of which central assistance is Rs2069.96 crore and rest will be borne by the State Government. The central government has already released Rs414 crore from its committed assistance to the State of Gujarat. Under AMRUT, total projects worth Rs2140.55 crore are under implementation, while detail project report (DPR) of projects worth Rs702.77 crore has been approved and DPR of projects worth Rs2041.10 crore is being prepared in Gujarat said the statement.

According to the statement of the minister, 31 cities of Gujarat selected under AMRUT are Ahmedabad, Dwarka, Jamnagar, Gandhinagar, Amreli, Anand, Bharuch, Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Botad, Deesa, Gandhidham, Godhra, Gondal, Jetpur-Navagadh, Kalol, Mahesana, Morbi, Nadiad, Navsari, Palanpur, Patan, Porbandar, Rajkot, Surat, Surendranagar-Dudhrej, Vadodara, Valsad, Vapi and Veraval.

The minister’s statement said that under AMRUT, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs does not approve individual projects or city-wise proposals but accords approval to the State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs) submitted by the State/Union Territory and releases Central Assistance as per Mission guidelines. Selection of individual projects, appraisal, approval and implementation is done by the concerned State/Union Territory Government. SAAPs of Rs 77,640 crore, including committed Central Assistance of Rs 35,990 crore, have been approved by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs for the entire Mission period in three rounds, said the statement. However, funds against third and final SAAP will be released to 5 States and 3 Union Territories on achieving the milestones set by the Ministry, said the minister.

The centre has also committed assistance of Rs566.17 crore development of seven cities of Jharkhand.
Shri Nathwani wanted to know about the cities selected under AMRUT, the funds sanctioned/released and works undertaken or likely to be undertaken, the details of States requesting more assistance/grants to complete ongoing projects and the action taken/being taken in this regard.

The statement of the minister also said that none of the States/Union Territories have requested for more assistance/grants to complete ongoing Projects under the Mission.

DeshGujarat