Bhubaneswar: The municipal corporation on Wednesday launched a special development plan that will facilitate additional infrastructure funds for under-developed wards, mostly those in the city's peripheral areas.
To distribute funds for infrastructure development, the corporation has divided 13 wards into two categories.
Wards under category A under will get Rs 1 crore and those in category B will receive Rs 50 lakh to expedite development. There will be six wards in the first category and seven in the second one. The proposal was passed during the council meeting of the civic body on Wednesday.
"Ward Nos. 4, 5, 18, 23, 49 and 65 are in the first category and ward Nos. 3, 22, 44, 59, 64, 66 and 67 come in the second one. The funds will be used to spruce up under-developed segments of these wards," said a civic body official.
In a bid to bring transparency in the new plan, the authorities have decided to prepare a document in consultation with respective zonal officers and executive engineers. The plan will take up development projects such as street lights, waste management, parks, playground, neighbourhood market, roads and drains.
The civic body also passed its annual budget of Rs 430 crore. The civic body has also decided to keep Rs 67.79 crore for solid waste management. The corporation has also sanctioned Rs 21 crore to strengthen the animal birth control programme.
"We have decided to intensify dog catching and sterilisation activities. More vehicles will be procured for this," said a civic body official.
Municipal commissioner, who was also present during Wednesday's council meeting, asked for a drainage improvement plan to be drafted in coordination with all departments. He also directed the drainage division to prepare a monsoon plan well in advance.
Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena requested the councillors to take up development work in their wards while adhering to the schedule. The council was also briefed about the ambitious Biju Yuva Bahini project to motivate youth between 15 and 35 years to promote sports and related activities at the ward-level.
