Chennai: Making a detour from the usual practice of waiting for the state government to knock at the doors of the Centre for fiscal allocation, Union Urban development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu brought the officials from his department to Chennai on an otherwise lazy Sunday and sanctioned about Rs 1,083.34 crores for three flagship schemes of the Narendra Modi government.
Of that sum, about Rs 360.27 crore was sanctioned under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, Rs 663.93 crore under Prime Minister Awas Yojana and another Rs 59.14 crore for implementing the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana.
The minister, who reviewed the schemes, informed that he wanted to expedite the projects and eliminate needless ‘waiting time.’ “This is being done as per the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who wanted me to inform the states about the budgetary allocation for various programmes and sanction the sum at one go. So, instead of CM, ministers and officials going to Delhi, I have come here along with my officers and sanction the sum,” he said.
“There is nothing political in this. The only agenda is development,” Venkaiah told reporters and emphasised that Modi wanted performing states to be encouraged. The system has changed. “Our PM wants performing states to be given more funds. Reform, perform and transform are the mantras Mr Modi has given. So, the system, approvals, execution everything should be transformed,” he added.
