MP Chief Minister Chouhan’s efforts lauded by international panel

Ataullah Faizan

Bhopal, March 23, 2011

      It is gratifying that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s efforts for all round development and progress of the state have been lauded by International Development Committee comprising British Members Of Parliament, who met the Chief Minister at Mantralaya here recently and discussed implementation of the ongoing development programmes aided by the Department for International Development (DIFD) United Kingdom. The committee held discussions on the possibilities of cooperation in new areas in development sector.

      Referring to the Indo-British cooperation in development sector, the Chief Minister said that the spirit of cooperation was more important than financial assistance. He said that the state government was efficiently utilising the funds provided by the DFID and is spending in key areas of development from its own resources. Appreciating the technical support provided by the DFID, Chouhan said that the state government has fixed development priorities. Well designed initiatives are being implemented to reduce infant mortality and maternal mortality rates and eradicate malnourishment.

       Chouhan informed the committee members that the well-thought efforts of the state have kept growth rate above the national average growth rate and soon it would touch the double digit from 8.67 percent for which all efforts are being made.

      The committee members discussed about the state's policies and action plans to achieve the millennium development goals. The Chief Minister informed them about strategic steps in health and education sectors. About the newer avenues of cooperation,  Chouhan said that health and nutrition and good governance have immense possibilities. The Committee members appreciated the launching of Atal Child Health and Nutrition Mission.

      The Chief Minister apprised the committee members of the archaeological and natural beauties of the state. The committee included  Hugh Bayley,  Richard Burden and  Michael McCann of Labour Party UK,  Christopher White,  Pauline Latham  of Conservative Party UK,  Sam Sharpe Head of DFID India, Principal Secretary Finance  G. P. Sinhal, Director Institutional Finance  Nitesh Kumar Vyas, Secretary to C.M.  Anurag Jain Su Jaya Verma programme manager DFID and  Sanjay Sharma MP State representative DFID, were present.

It may be mentioned here that a five-year programme (2006-11), called the Madhya Pradesh Urban Services for the Poor (MPUSP) is being implemented with a financial aid of Rs 350 crore from DFID(Department For International Development) of the British government in the State. Nearly half of the funds of the DFID-assisted programme are being spent on development works.  The development works are being carried out in the slums of four cities, viz., Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore and Jabalpur. The remaining amount is being spent on carrying out slum improvement works in other urban local bodies (ULBs).

The objective of the MPUSP programme is to enhance the capacity of the chosen urban local bodies to deliver better services to the urban poor. Under this ambitious five-year programme introduced last year, the State government, with the cooperation of the urban local bodies, is carrying out a number of development works in the slums of the said four cities. MPUSP is working with ULBs and slum communities to improve water and sanitation services including waste collection and provide better roads, drains and streetlights. Further, under the programme, slums are selected in a participatory and transparent manner, of which the ULBs are the owners.

Non-government organisations are being supported to strengthen community partnership for improved livelihood and implementation of community-based projects. An important goal of MPUSP is to facilitate people’s access to government through the e-governance route and other delivery systems which will simplify the services. MPUSP’s activities have been designed to target the poorest and most vulnerable groups; further, co-ordination with the State government’s priorities as well as other urban programmes in the State are sought to be achieved. Moreover, MPUSP supports the pro-poor activities of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and other government and donor interventions.