No diversion: Smart City funds transferred to GWMC

Besides, the State government had also released Rs 182.16 crore from the State budget for developmental works in Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC)

Hyderabad: The State government on Wednesday asserted that there was absolutely no diversion of the Rs 196.4 crore funds released by the Union government for Warangal under the Smart City Mission. Besides, the State government had also released Rs 182.16 crore from the State budget for developmental works in Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC).

Principal Secretary for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Arvind Kumar, in a point-by-point rebuttal of the allegations levelled by BJP State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, said that 100 per cent of the funds released by the Union government had been released to GWMC under the Smart City Mission and there was no diversion whatsoever. The Centre launched Smart City Mission in June 2015 and GWMC was included in the list of Smart Cities in May 2016. Subsequently, the Union government released Rs 2.5 crore in 2016-17, Rs 32 crore in 2017-18, zero funds in 2019-20, and Rs 161.9 crore in 2020-21, totalling Rs 196.4 crore.

The BJP leader had alleged that the State government had diverted Central funds sanctioned for Warangal under Smart City Mission, and that it had also not released matching funds for the Mission despite the Centre releasing its share of Rs 196 crore.

Arvind Kumar pointed out that while 63 works were taken up at a cost of Rs 1,029.02 crore, works costing Rs 46.67 crore had been completed utilising Rs 40.67 crore. “There are more than sufficient funds available with the Warangal Corporation to meet the expenditure for works up to May this year under the project. While sufficient funds have been made available to Warangal, there were initial delays in undertaking the actual works and issues like land acquisition and preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) had taken their time as is the case in any major project,” he said.

However, with concerted efforts and close monitoring of the project activities by the State government, the project works had reached a take-off stage and there was perceptible progress of works at present, the Principal Secretary said. The State government released Rs 182.16 crore from its bunds including Rs 109.29 crore from the Chief Minister’s Assurance Funds and another Rs 72.87 crore under Pattana Pragathi programme, he said.

“The State government will meet the matching grant under Smart Cities project once the works are executed and bills are ready for the same,” he assured.

Also read:

GWMC gears up for new Hanamkonda bus station

Karimnagar, Warangal Smart City works on track: Vinod Kumar

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