GUWHATI: A meeting at Janata Bhawan outlined the implementation plan for the 'Doh Shaher, Ek Rupayan' initiative led by the Housing and Urban Affairs Department in Assam on December 19.
The project aims at well-planned and rapid development in cities like Silchar, Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Bangaigaon, Biswanath Chariali, Karimganj, Tinsukia, Golaghat, Jorhat, Tezpur, Sibsagar, and North Lakhimpur. The meeting discussed key aspects like urban planning, waste management, water supply, infrastructure, traffic control, and green-blue elements incorporation.
Commissioner & Secretary Kavitha Padmanabhan presented the concept, emphasising manpower rationalisation, online service delivery, and financial infrastructure strengthening. The proposed improvements cover a range of areas, from infrastructure development to beautification and environmental initiatives.
The proposed towns are scheduled for comprehensive improvements across various domains. Under the City Infrastructure Development Fund (CIDF), initiatives will include the establishment of conference halls, city beautification, an open-air theatre, pavilions, traffic control system, convention centres, markets, sports complex, and the enhancement of water bodies.
The Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF) will be used to make convention centres, halls, park cum open spaces, ISBT, and the beautification of public areas.
The Directorate of Municipal Administration will oversee street lights and paver block streets. Under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and SoPD, the emphasis will be on water supply, rejuvenation of water bodies, and the development of parks.
Similarly, the Swachh Bharat Mission encompasses initiatives like Door-to-Door Collection of Solid Waste, Waste Processing, and Waste Disposal at Dumping grounds.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, Labour and Employment Minister Sanjay Kishan, and eight MLAs representing various constituencies, Hitendra Nath Goswami (Jorhat), Phani Bhushan Chowdhury (Bangaigaon), Prasanta Phukan (Dibrugarh), Pramod Barthakur (Biswanath), Prithviraj Rabha (Tezpur), Rupak Sharma (Nagaon), Manav Deka (Lakhipur), and Dipayan Chakraborty (Silchar), respectively, and the Chairperson or Vice-Chairpersons of Bangaigaon, Biswanath Chariali, Karimganj, Nagaon, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, and North Lakhimpur Municipal Board.
The meeting was attended by top officials of the Housing and Urban Affairs Department, Directorate of Municipal Administration, AMRUT, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), Directorate of Town and Country Planning. The meeting was chaired by Urban and housing development minister Ashok Singhal.