A slum area next to a railway track. File picture

Feb. 18: Dispur’s ambitious project to develop and beautify the slum areas of the city has received a major boost with the Centre agreeing to sanction additional funds for the scheme.

Sources said the Union ministry of urban development and poverty alleviation has intimated the Guwahati Municipal Corporation of allocating an additional amount of Rs 150 crore for development of the city’s slums.

The allocation was made under the Sub-Mission of Basic Services to the Urban Poor of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

“The Centre last year released Rs 53.95 crore to develop the Fatasil Ambari and Morasali slums and the GMC too started execution of the project. The Union ministry had also sanctioned another amount of Rs 50 crore for the same project and the GMC is expected to receive the funds within March. Once the funds are received, the GMC would start the process of developing some slums near Saraighat bridge over the Brahmaputra,” a source said.

According to the source, the additional amount of Rs 150 crore would be released to the GMC during the next financial year, starting April.

A GMC official said with the allocation of Rs 150 crore, the corporation would be able to beautify and develop all the officially designated slum areas in the city.

The GMC has officially recognised 26 slums with a population of nearly 1.6 lakh. The biggest slums in the city are located at Fatasil Ambari, Morasali and Solapara.

“Most of the slum dwellers do not have access to basic facilities. The funds sanction will help expedite the ongoing projects aimed at improving the overall living conditions. Under the scheme, low-cost houses with proper toilets and drinking water, public health centres, schools and community halls will be set up in the slum areas,” the official said.

GMC commissioner Manish Thakur met officials of the Union urban development ministry in New Delhi last week and discussed in details about the project.

The sources said the Union ministry has asked for a detailed project report on slum development at the cost of Rs 150 crore within March.