Mumbai, Dec 27 (UNI) As many as 47 projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), worth Rs 6396 crore, have been sanctioned for the state and the state was committed to take a lead in developing infrastructure in urban areas, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said here today.

Speaking at a review meeting of the projects under the JNNURM, Mr Deshmukh said out of the 47 sanctioned projects, work on 45 was in progress and till November 2, Rs 425 crore was spent on 27 projects.

Out of the total amount to be spent on all the projects under the programme, the centre's share was Rs 29.5 crore.

Mr Deshmukh directed the concerned officials to expedite implementation of the projects in Pune and Nanded on priority basis in view of the Guru-da-gaddi programmes in Nanded in 2008 and Youth Common Wealth games in Pune in the same year.

The Chief Minister directed municipal commissioners of all the cities, where the projects are being implemented -- Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nanded, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, Pimpri Chinchwad, Kalyan-Dombivali, Ambarnath and Ulhasnagar, to interact with MPs, MLAs and other elected representatives regarding development in their respective cities.

It was also suggested during the meeting that the 'No Development Zone' should be called 'Future Development Zone' as it would be useful to utilise the reserved space for the future development of the city. It was observed that the space earmarked as 'No Development Zone' is encroached by slums. Mr Deshmukh said a study should be conducted on how to stop the reserved zone from being encroached by slums.

UNI