Page 50 - HUDCO-SHELTER-APR21

POLICY REVIEW

Rs.10,000; to incentivize regular informal employment and social Report of XV-FC has been tabled
repayment; and to reward security through different on the day of the budget
digital transactions, that will schemes such as DAY-NULM, presentation and, on a positive
open up new opportunities to PM SVANIDHI, AatmaNirbhar note, the XV-FC has significantly
street vendors such as hawkers, Bharat packages, AatmaNirbhar increased the overall outlay for
thelewala, rehriwala, Bharat Rozgar Yojana, EPFO, the urban local bodies to Rs.1.21
theliphadwala etc. to move up MSME Loans, MUDRA scheme, lakh crore over the five years
the economic ladder. The Standup India, Pradhan Mantri compared to Rs.87,000 crore
estimate of urban street vendors Gareeb Kalyan Yojana, Skill during the Fourteenth Finance
in the country stood at over 70 Mapping, Migrant Registry and Commission period. Most
lakh. Till February 2021, more surveys, ARHC, Online Job Fair, importantly, the receipt of the
than 21 lakh street vendors have etc. Yet, the budget seems to grant is being made conditional
been sanctioned loans under PM have missed the opportunity to upon publication of audited
SVANIDHI. It was allocated channelize the much-needed annual accounts and notification
Rs.200 crore for FY 2021-22 and resources to the city-makers who of floor rates for property tax.
the RE for FY 2020-21 was Rs.142 have lost their livelihoods Last year, the AatmaNirbhar
crore. during the outbreak of COVID- Bharat Abhiyan linked Rs.50,000
Despite the success of 19. To speak of urban social crore of additional borrowing
MGNREGA scheme in providing security without limits for states to reforms in
some income security to the comprehensively tackling the property taxes and user charges
rural people and returned concerns of housing is missing for water and sanitation. These
migrants and the cash transfer the point. The state needs to are expected to usher in the
scheme PM-KISAN for farmer build a comprehensive plan to much-needed financial
households (Rs.6,000 per tackle issues of congestion and discipline among the urban local
annum), this budget has affordability. bodies to make them self-reliant.
remained silent on any similar FIFTEENTH FINANCE Although, the devolution of
employment guarantee scheme COMMISSION, BUDGET 2021 funds by the XV-FC based on
or cash assistance in the urban & CITIES performance has dampened the
areas. According to experts, Amidst the pandemic, the spirit of federalism.
providing employment Budget 2021-22 and the Fifteenth Centralization of urban property
guarantee or cash transfer to the Finance Commission (XV-FC) tax collection and reducing the
urban poor has been the biggest Report have laid out autonomy in deciding floor rates
miss of the Budget 2021-22. transformative pathways for the negatively impact the local self-
Although the financial outlay for cities of New India, with a government at the urban level.
such a scheme would amount to budget and grant outlay of EMPOWERING CITIES
a financial burden to the tune of almost Rs. 7 lakh crore over the TOWARDS NEW INDIA
Rs.50,000 crores or more (as per next five years, for enabling to #AatmaNirbharBharat
Azim Premji University's unlock the potential of our cities
estimates), there are many issues and instill Ease of Living and COVID-19 pandemic has
such as identification of Ease of Doing Business and highlighted the structural and
beneficiaries, design, etc. improving municipal institutional deficiencies in
urban
governance
and
There has been a renewed focus performance. management in India. India
on this issue of urban and

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