A gathering convened at Janata Bhawan to delineate the execution strategy for the 'Doh Shaher, Ek Rupayan' initiative spearheaded by the Housing and Urban Affairs Department in Assam. The initiative aims to facilitate well-planned and expeditious development in cities such as Silchar, Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Bangaigaon, Biswanath Chariali, Karimganj, Tinsukia, Golaghat, Jorhat, Tezpur, Sibsagar, and North Lakhimpur. Discussions during the meeting delved into critical facets encompassing urban planning, waste management, water supply, infrastructure, traffic control, and the incorporation of green-blue elements.
Commissioner & Secretary Kavitha Padmanabhan presented the concept, emphasising the rationalisation of manpower, online service delivery, and the reinforcement of financial infrastructure. The proposed enhancements span a spectrum of areas, ranging from infrastructure development to beautification and environmental initiatives.
Scheduled for comprehensive improvements across various domains, the proposed towns will witness initiatives under the City Infrastructure Development Fund (CIDF), including the establishment of conference halls, city beautification, open-air theatres, pavilions, traffic control systems, convention centres, markets, sports complexes, and the enhancement of water bodies.
The Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF) will be utilised for the establishment of 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 focus will be on water supply, rejuvenation of water bodies, and park development.
Simultaneously, the Swachh Bharat Mission encompasses initiatives like Door-to-Door Collection of Solid Waste, Waste Processing, and Waste Disposal at Dumping grounds.
Present at the meeting were Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, Labour and Employment Minister Sanjay Kishan, and eight MLAs representing various constituencies, namely 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). Additionally, the Chairpersons or Vice-Chairpersons of Bangaigaon, Biswanath Chariali, Karimganj, Nagaon, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, and North Lakhimpur Municipal Board were present.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Housing and Urban Affairs Department, Directorate of Municipal Administration, AMRUT, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), and Directorate of Town and Country Planning. Urban and Housing Development Minister Ashok Singhal chaired the meeting.
