Urban infra projects on slow track

With the 11th Five Year Plan is coming to an end, not a single big infrastructure project out of 73 proposals approved by the Centre under JNNURM and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) has been completed by the government. The Ministry of Urban Development has sanctioned 24 drinking water supply projects under the urban infrastructure development scheme. Though a target was set to complete the projects by 2012, not a single project is nearing completion. The Urban Development Department, the implementing agency, has procured pipes for many of the projects pending finalisation of the tenders for laying of pipes. In most cases, there is poor response to the tenders while in others bidding was cancelled several times.