The Centre has decided to invest Rs 248 crore for the pilot project of the Rs 1,000 crore PURA (Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas). Union Ministry of Panchayat & Rural Development is finalizing the expression of interest for the projects involving profit making corporate involvement.

It has already received almost 60 expressions of interest from different corporate entities and will finalise the participants by end of this year, said Dharmendra Singh Gangwar, joint secretary of the department of Rural Development.

PURA scheme is aimed at holistic and accelerated development of compact areas around a potential growth centre in a gram panchayat through public private partnership model. The scheme will provide livelihood opportunities and urban amenities to improve the quality of life in rural

areas.

Talking to reporters after an interactive session organised by CII, Gangwar said, ?after the pilot project is complete we will approach the planning commission for further projects.?

Technical Consultant of the project Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide technical assistance for three years in certain key areas including creation of framework for roll-out of the restructured PURA scheme, assistance to local governments in effective utilization of the established PURA framework and sensitization of the private sector finance providers and operators.

?Individual companies or a consortium can participate in each of the Rs 50 crore projects,? said Gangwar. The government will take up community development schemes like water and sewerage, drainage, solid waste management, road construction under the scheme.