THE ministry of urban development has launched an initiatives to give ratings to cities in terms of their sanitation standards. This move aims at strengthening implementation of the safe sanitation initiative, the National Urban Sanitation Policy, launched by the government in 2008. An investment of Rs 25 crore has been made by the government to start the programme.

New Delhi: With ambitious target of 100% sanitation, Union urban development ministry on Wednesday launched a rating of cities on the basis of performance, aiming to promote safe sanitation in around 400 cities and towns across the country.

Just how do our cities fare in terms of sanitation? Come March 2010 and a rating list for 441 class-I cities is likely to be ready. The initiative, which will also include instituting "nirmal shahar puraskar (clean city award)", was launched by the ministry of urban development here on Wednesday.

New Delhi: Worried at the sight of DTC

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has identified 2153 beneficiaries in four slums in the city under the basic services to the urban poor (BSUP) scheme for provision of houses.

Even the number of cars plying on the city roads, fuelled by low-budget options, continue to go on an upward curve, the Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy said he is not

The Central Government is likely to allocate additional Rs 1,000 crore for the 2010 Commonwealth Games under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Top sources said that both Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Home Affairs have given green signal to use funds under JNNURM for the project related to 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI: Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy on Wednesday announced that a committee had been constituted under the Secretary, Urban Development, M. Ramachandran, to explore the possibility of expanding Delhi Metro rail services to satellite towns like Faridabad and Bahadurgarh in Haryana to improve their connectivity with the national Capital.

While the Delhi Government has revised DTC fares to overcome the financial crunch, the irony is that it is all set to spend again about Rs 60 lakh after having spent Rs 35 lakh earlier only to `study' the feasibility of Rs 1,100 crore elevated East-West Corridor connecting Anand Vihar ISBT to New Delhi Railway station.

The chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today chose to support the district magistrate of South-24 Parganas on the issue of filling up a waterbody to provide land to Mani Bhaumik Foundation.