CHENNAI: Giving a thrust to development of infrastructure in municipalities and rural local bodies, finance minister O. Panneerselvam on Thursday said a total of Rs 11,820 crore had been allocated for the development of municipalities, besides announcing that the local bodies elections would be held in October. He said all the 79,394 habitations in 12,524 village panchayats would get essential basic amenities under the commendable initiative of the Tamil Nadu Village Habitation Improvement scheme.

He also said a sum of Rs 400 crore had been provided for Smart Cities Programme. He said, “The government is giving special priority to the implementation of underground sewerage systems in major urban local bodies. Twenty underground sewerage schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 1,017.09 crore, to benefit a population of 14.41 lakh, are under various stages of progress. In addition, three underground sewerage schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 205.23 crore are at tender stage and works will be started during this year”, he said.

Panneerselvam said widening of 1,000 km of roads and improvement of 3,000 km of 32 roads would be taken up under the ‘Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme’. “It is proposed to complete 12 road over bridges and road under bridges at a cost of Rs 375.17 crore. Under Phase II of the World Bank funded ‘Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project’, 427 km of roads will be upgraded to two lanes with paved shoulders, 146 km will be upgraded to four lanes and 597 km of roads will be maintained”.