The civic authorities have engaged the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (Hudco), a central agency, to prepare theme papers and detailed project reports on beautifying the city and making it slum-free. The beautification scheme will be implemented with funds provided under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, while the slum-free city project will be executed with financial assistance under Rajiv Awas Yojana of the housing and urban poverty alleviation ministry. “Hudco is likely to submit its report by February. We have a plan to roll out the projects the next financial year,” said mayor Sovan Chatterjee. “The CMC is badly in need of funds to pay its share of the project cost. The state government has permitted us to lease out land and take loans from financial institutions. We may also be able offer an interest waiver scheme once the governor signs an amendment bill,” he added. The decision to take up the beautification scheme was made recently, after the urban development ministry agreed to consider a proposal by the chief minister to beautify the city. The Calcutta Municipal Corporation will act as a stakeholder as well as a nodal agency in implementing the scheme and hence, it will have to bear 30 per cent of the project cost. The central and the state governments will share the rest equally. The cost of the slum-free city project will be shared equally between the housing and urban poverty alleviation ministry and the CMC. The ministry’s share of funds will be provided under Rajiv Awas Yojana, rolled out by the central government on September 27, The slum-free city project reverses the CPM’s stated policy of developing slums by keeping them intact. There are over 4,500 registered slums in the city, where 15 lakh-plus people reside. About 10,000 bighas of prime land have remained locked in the slums. “Slums are unfit for human habitation because of dilapidation, overcrowding, lack of ventilation as well as inadequate sanitation facilities,” said joint municipal commissioner Sahidul Islam.