Centre releases over Rs 4,200 crore to Andhra for Amaravati capital project
Amaravati (PTI): The Central Government has released over Rs 4,200 crore to Andhra Pradesh for Amaravati Capital Development project after it (centre) received the first disbursement of USD 205 million from the World Bank, a senior official has said.
The World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) together committed to fund USD 1600 Million (Rs 13,600 crore), USD 800 Million each, for Amaravati capital city phase-I development, while the Centre will be contributing remaining Rs 1,400 crore, out of the Rs 15,000 crore committed by the Central Government for phase-I of the development.
According to the World Bank documents the project became effective on January 22 this year and the first disbursement of USD 205 million for program advance was done last month.
"Out of this total Rs 15,000 crore, there is a sharing between the World Bank, ABD and the centre. The ADB also may have given same amount (USD 205 million). I do not know exactly how much the ADB has given to the Government of India. The Centre has also released its matching amount of around Rs 800 crore. So we have received a total of Rs 4,285 crore from the Centre on April 1,” the official told PTI.
According to the official , the Centre has agreed to give 25 per cent of the total committed amount as "Mobilisation Advance" and the amount that was released is under this head.
The next instalment of the committed amount will be released after the state government shows some progress and submit bills or utilisation certificates, the official added.
"That (second tranche of funds) will take time. It will take at least six months, because the works have just started and in another two to three months they will pick up," the bureaucrat said.
On some complaints lodged with the World Bank expressing concerns over the environmental and livelihood issues, he said the World Bank and ADB have their own strong mechanism for redressing the grievances which is independent of their board also.
In fact, a delegation of six members, three each of WB and ADB visited Amaravati last month and expressed satisfaction after an inquiry.
AP chief secretary K Vijayanand recently said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will relaunch Amaravati greenfield capital city construction in April, which will entail the resumption of works worth about Rs 1 lakh crore.
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), part of the World Bank which provides loans and guarantees among others, to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries will be funding USD 800 besides ADB.
According to the WB document , the Department of Economic Affairs at the Centre is the borrower while the Andhra Pradesh Capital Regional Development Authority is the implementing agency.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
