Complex includes a host of features; 4 per cent work already completed

Planning Commission recommends Rs 10,000 crore

Despite expectations, the only major sops in the state budget for Mumbaiites is an increased FSI in the suburbs and the announcement that all the corridors of the Mumbai Metro rail project would be up

With not much time left for the Commonwealth Games 2010, the crucial Games Village project which is especially being built for the event has just seen four per cent completion so far.

Games preparations in full swing: L-G

The widening and strengthening of the Gurgaon-Alwar and Hodal-Nuh-Pataudi Patauda roads have been approved under the National Capital Region (NCR) scheme in order to create a sound network of roads in

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has presented a budget of Rs 6,643 crore for 2008-09 to implement a series of infrastructure projects.

The Rajasthan Cabinet has decided to amend the State's laws on exporting/transporting cattle in order to facilitate export and migration of the high quality Nagauri calves to other parts of the country. However, there is a catch: the bovines would be allowed to be transported to the States where a ban on cow slaughter already exists. Conceding the long-time demand of farmers from Nagaur district, the Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje decided to carry out amendments to the Rajasthan Cow Slaughter, Prohibition and Regulation of Temporary Migration and Export of Bovine Elements Act, 1955. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore, who briefed journalists later, said the Government had acted on the recommendations of a Cabinet committee headed by Home Minister G. C. Kataria in this regard. The amendments would allow export of Nagauri calves above the age of 2 years for agricultural and dairy purposes, he pointed out. Nagauri bulls are know for their quality and resilience and even in the current Assembly there has been an outcry from the MLAs from Nagaur district for lifting the ban on the sale and transport of calves. The ban made it unviable for the farmer to breed the Nagauri variety, which eventually was leading to its extinction, they had pointed out. More autonomy In another decision the Cabinet resolved to accept the recommendations of the A. K. Vaidhyanathan Committee to provide more autonomy to the cooperative bodies in the State. The State would carry out about a dozen amendments and insert Section 47 A in the Rajasthan Cooperative Act to facilitate the increased autonomy. The Cabinet also decided to launch urban development projects in 15 towns of the State with financial assistance totalling 273 million US dollars from the Asian Development Bank. The project, with a funding format of 70:30 (70 percent from ADB and the rest from the State Government and local bodies) would carry out schemes on drinking water, sewerage, drainage, road, flyovers, development of slums and heritage properties besides garbage management and improving fire-fighting. The beneficiary towns would include Alwar, Bharatpur, Sikar, Churu, Sawai Madhopur, Barmer, Jaisalmer and Jhalrapatan. Mr. Rathore said the Government proposes to amend the Rajasthan Financial Act, 2006, to relax conditions for filing petitions in the case of disputes over land tax assessment.

CITIES The suburb is creaking under the weight of its own growth A 16-and-a-half-hour power switch-off! That's what the power supplier to Gurgaon

UN report predicts 55 per cent of Indians will live in cities by 2050 Half of the world's population is expected to turn urban by the end of this year. A UN report now estimates that cities in Africa and Asia will account for most of the growth in urban population by 2050. However, over 45 per cent of India's population may continue to live in villages, down from the 70 per cent now. In comparison, only 30 per cent of Chinese are expected to live in the countryside, against 60 per cent now. The growth in urban population is a historical trend and India can't be an exception. People have historically moved from rural areas to urban enclaves due to social and economic reasons and aspirational factors. Cities generate more jobs than villages, especially in the organised sector. They have good schools and hospitals, diverse markets, vibrant cultural spaces and are assumed to offer a better quality of life. People naturally prefer to migrate to cities when given the opportunity. The flip side of this trend is that cities can get overcrowded and stretch public utilities. Many Indian cities face this prospect. One way to address this problem is to incentivise reverse migration so that our overcrowded cities are decongested, besides, of course, upgrading the facilities in urban centres. Reverse migration is now a realistic proposition due to social and economic changes and emergence of new forms of technology. Our democratic institutions are now more representative and inclusive thanks to Panchayati Raj. Women and lower castes have a visible presence in local government. Social oppression that forced many people to flee villages to cities is on the decline in most parts of the country. The IT revolution is changing the concept of work and workplace. Many non-metros have benefited from these changes. As local economies grow in size markets too will diversify and more jobs will be created in and around these cities. More small towns could reap the benefits of the emerging economy if local governments pursue the right policies. The task before the government is to make policies to ensure that urban amenities presently available only in big cities reach small towns and even villages. States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu have demonstrated that this could be achieved. These two states have built a seamless network of small towns and villages well connected by roads and communication links. As the Budget has revealed India does not face shortage of capital. The task is to ensure that resources are deployed in the right manner. An urbanised population spread more evenly over a large number of cities would be a better option for the future than a handful of overcrowded mega cities.