BMC sets aside Rs 1 crore to upgrade city slums

If all goes well, then soon slum dwellers in the city would be provided with every civic amenity just like any other Mumbaikar. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to develop slum areas by providing its dwellers with all the basic civic amenities under the Integrated Slum Development Scheme (ISDS), for which the civic body made a provision of Rs 1 crore in its budget for 2013-14.

Illustration/Amit Bandre

Chairperson of the Standing Committee Rahul Shewale said, "The idea behind the ISDS is to develop slums as a whole. All the slums would be surveyed properly and the report highlighting lack of amenities and what needs to be done will be submitted. A consultant will be appointed soon to survey the slum pockets in the city and design area-specific amenities."

Shewale made the announcement during a committee meeting after the BMC budget was discussed. He also said that though the current budget provision for the scheme was just Rs 1 crore, it could go up to Rs 50 crore before the budget is cleared by the General Body. The budget would be tabled before the General Body in the first week of March and is expected to get clearance before March 31. According to the civic officials, most of the slums in the city lack basic amenities such as garbage bins, footpaths, dispensaries and hygienic living condition.

More money
The city has 227 elected corporators and they get Rs 60 lakh as corporator fund per annum. Apart from this Rs 60 lakh, corporators can use Rs 40 lakh from the development fund for improvisation of slums. The ISDS would be executed separately. u00a0