Amritsar gets Rs 69.31 crore to make it heritage city: Anil Joshi

Chandigarh, April 7, 2015: The Local Bodies Minister, Punjab, Anil Joshi today said that Amritsar would be given heritage look under heritage programme and a sum of Rs. 69.31 crore has been issued for implementing the scheme. The Minister also said that under the smart city scheme being chalked out by the Government of India, a proposal is in the pipeline to include 6 cities namely--- Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Bathinda and Mohali in the scheme. He also informed that monthly meetings would be held to review the progress concerning the projects carried out under the scheme. The Minister was reviewing the progress of the schemes of Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC) at Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Sector-27 here.

Issuing the directions to the departmental officials to expedite the pace of implementing central Government approved schemes, he said that those schemes, regarding which proposal reports are in the process of being prepared, should be sent after completion so as to enable release of funds. The Minister also gave directions to the effect of holding monthly meetings, with the Municipal Corporation Commissioners, regional deputy directors and senior officials of the department being in attendance, to review the functioning of the department.  Apart from this meeting, smart city, Swachh Bharat and heritage schemes of PMIDC would be subject to a special separate review. He also said that the meetings shall also be held at the sites where the development projects are going on, so that progress can be reviewed on the spot.

The Minister instructed the officials to utilise the amount for giving heritage and beautified look to the city. The officials briefed the minister that the thoroughfare from Town hall to Durbar Sahib would begin soon and besides this, Company Bagh area would be given a facelift. Under the scheme, the said amount would be spent on roads, basic infrastructure and roundabouts falling in the city.

Reviewing the Swachh Bharat Campaign in the meeting, the Minister said that to make this campaign a grand success people from all walks of life specially students should be made aware.

During the meeting, Secretary, Local Bodies, Ashok Gupta, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board C.E.O. Mr. D.K. Tiwari, Technical Advisor to the Chief Minister, Punjab, Major General (Retired) V.K. Bhatt, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana G.K. Singh, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Amritsar Pradeep Sabharwal, Chief Engineer of the department V.P. Singh and A.S. Dhaliwal were also present.