British envoy urged to extend urban project

Bhopal, Nov 4 : Madhya Pradesh Urban Administration and Development Minister Babulal Gaur has urged Britain to extend to 2012 the deadline for a project that seeks to improve living conditions in slums.

Gaur made the request to the British High Commissioner to India, Richard Stagg, saying the deadline for Project Utthan should be revised, officials said.

"The present deadline for Project Utthan (also known as urban service programme), being implemented with British aid, is 2011," Gaur told the British officials.

"Under it, works of environment improvement and infrastructure development are being undertaken in the slum areas in the state with the participation of urban poor," he said.

"So far, roads and drains have been built and sewerage lines laid in several slum areas while infrastructure development works are on in many other slums."

Gaur said that Project Utthan was being implemented in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior.

--IANS