'Provide essential amenities to improve citizens' standard of living': Fadnavis tells officials

Mumbai, Jan 9 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday directed the state urban development department that all essential and quality amenities in 423 cities in Maharashtra should be provided with the aim of improving the standard of living of the citizens. 

Fadnavis, who discussed the 100-day plan of the urban development department, said that while providing funds for the development of these cities, solid waste and sewage management should be made mandatory.

He said that a transparent policy should be formulated for processing the sewage in the city and its reuse.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who holds the urban development minister portfolio, said that the revision of taxes should be done regularly so that the citizens would not have to bear a sudden additional burden.

According to the urban development department, it will focus on the formulation of a policy for the sustainable development of cities, the introduction of innovative measures for the economic strengthening of urban local bodies and administrative reforms, the promotion of e-governance projects and measures to increase the tax revenue of urban local bodies.

Meanwhile, at another meeting to review the 100-day plan of the soil and water conservation department, Fadnavis asked the department to develop watersheds on a top-to-bottom basis and to give priority to the work to be done before the monsoon in the next hundred days.

Fadnavis said that the ongoing works under the schemes like Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchan Yojana, Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan, Silt-free Dam and Silt-filled Shivar Yojana, Adarshgaon Yojana, construction of new water conservation projects and revival and repair programme of former Malgujri lakes should be accelerated.

Proposals for future schemes should be submitted to the government immediately and approved. He directed the department to make appropriate plans for increasing the irrigation area in the state, expedite the completion of pending works and organise recruitment and training to increase the efficiency of the available manpower in the department.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that the work of removing silt from dams should be completed before March and the same silt should be used in agriculture.