In a major announcement, the State government of Odisha has mandated all urban local bodies to compulsory spend 25% of their annual budget in slum development works.
The State Housing and Urban Development Department has issued a circular to commissioners of all municipal corporations, executive officers of municipalities and NACs to accordingly prepare the yearly budget so that 25% of the earmarked funds can be used to make provisions for basic services and infrastructure in slums. This apart the funds can also be spent on other ongoing schemes related to slums.
The local authorities have been asked to strictly monitor the budget expenditure by assigning quarterly target & reviewing the developmental works executed with the funds at the ground level.
According to the government notification, an Amendment in the Odisha Municipal Act. 1950 & Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, 2003 on August 26, 2020 rules that a sum not less than twenty-five per centum of the amount under Capital Expenditure relating to development work of annual budget be used for the purpose of providing basic services and infrastructure to slums.
Speaking in this regard, Housing Development Minister Pratap Jena informed that State government has set up a new programme Slum Development and Denotification under which all essential services and parameters like roads, drinking water, drains will be developed in each and every slum across Odisha.
Odisha government aims to upgrade all slums in the State by 2022-23. So far, land pattas have been issued for around 70000 slum dwellers and entitlement certificates have been handed out to 1.10 lakh families, informed Jena.