The cities of the State will be given a facelift. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has instructed to chalk out two-year action plan for developing beautiful and clean cities with ultramodern basic amenities.

He also instructed to give top priority to works for purifying Maa Narmada River at Amarkantak and Pashvani River at Chitrakoot.

Chouhan was making a quarterly review of Urban Administration and Development Department’s activities at Mantralaya here on Monday. Urban Administration and Development (UAD) Minister Babulal Gaur, Minister of State Manohar Untwal, Principal Secretary SPS Parihar, Principal Secretary Finance Ajay Nath, Commissioner UAD Sanjay Shukla and other officers were also present at the meeting.

The meeting was informed that four new schemes namely Mukhyamantri Shahri Peyjal Yojna, Mukhyamantri Shahri Swachhata Mission, Mukhyamantri Shahri Gharib Ke Liye Awas and Mukhymantri Shahri Adhosanranchna Vikas Yojna will be implemented during the next financial year. The meeting was informed that allocation of funds is being made for the first time in the State budget for the plans of urban bodies of Madhya Pradesh.

It was also informed that the Watch Committee of the Supreme Court has praised the scheme of rein baseras (night shelters). Hearses have been made available to the districts of the State.

The Chief Minister said that the implementation of development works and welfare schemes in the urban areas should be taken up under mission mode. For this, additional financial resources should be mobilised. He said that special attention should be given to the beautification of cities. These efforts increase residents’ bonding with their cities. He instructed to give special attention to revenue recovery work in the urban bodies. He said that the urban bodies which make good recoveries should be encouraged.

Chouhan instructed to put up a detailed report in this connection. He said that the urban bodies should explore possibilities of development works in the cities which do not have development authorities. He stressed the need for the constitution of coordination committees for coordination among various agencies linked to urban development.

He further said that registered handcart and rickshaw pullers should be benefited by launching a campaign. He instructed for speedy action after seriously considering the cases pertaining to expansion of municipal limits. He said that the Union Government should also bear the burden of cost escalation of the Centrally-sponsored schemes due to delay in implementation.