Among the developing countries, India witnesses the highest urbanisation. United Nation projects that in developing countries the urban population will double itself by 2050. The fast pace of urbanisation has put tremendous pressure in the existing infrastructure and public service across the world.
In last three and half years, the West Bengal Government has brought several schemes and policies with the purpose of improving the infrastructure of the municipalities.
Here are the major achievements of the West Bengal Government in the last 3 and half years in the urban development sector:
- West Bengal Cabinet recently cleared ‘Theme Township’ scheme to be implemented at 6 cities – Kalyani, Siliguri, Bolpur, Durgapur, Bantala, Andal.
- 94 projects were undertaken for construction of dwelling houses for slum dwellers and urban poor. 15,000 houses have already been completed and more than 10,000 are in the process.
- The KMC have completed the work of river bank development in Prinsep Ghat area. 14 other Ghats by the river Hooghly have been renovated.
- 10,000 new garbage bins are being introduced to Kolkata for making it a ‘clean city’.
- The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has launched many computerised citizen service centres. They can pay their bills, property tax, license fees and renewal etc under one roof.
- More than 1 lakh BPL urban youth have been trained under Swarnajayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojona with an objective of self-employment.
- West Bengal Government launched helicopter services between Kolkata and Gangasagar, Bolpur and Santiniketan and from Durgapur, Malda and Balurghat.
- 720 flats have been constructed at New Town and Rajarhat under ‘Gitanjali’ prakalpo
- With the financial assistance of JNNURM, 632 new Bus-services in Kolkata Metropolitan areas, 80 in Asansol-Durgapur areas and 140 in Siliguri-Jalpaiguri areas have been started
Come to Bengal… Ride the growth: bengalglobalsummit.com
