With the deadline for completing the pre-qualification norms of the ‘Smart City’ programme fast approaching, the Kochi Corporation has constituted a committee for wrapping up the formalities.
A meeting of the committee headed by the corporation secretary was held on Wednesday. “The panel, which has the heads of departments as its members, will meet on Friday to take stock of the situation,” said V.R. Raju, secretary.
Incidentally, the Principal Secretary of the Local Self Government Department had issued circulars to the secretaries of the five corporations asking them to complete the formalities for the selection process. Two municipalities were also directed to complete the formalities.
Though the Central government had announced its intention of setting up 100 smart cities in the country, indications are that only 30 cities would be selected in the first phase.
“The city corporation will be able to realise the primary qualifications including the minimum five per cent achievement of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The city is on the verge of achieving 100 per cent sanitation,” said Mr. Raju.
The official-level committee has been asked to find out ways for completing the other formalities including the creation of an e-newsletter. Officials were asked to check the viability of issuing e-newsletters through the website of the city corporation. The double entry accounting system, another prerequisite for eligibility, was introduced much earlier in the local body.
Introduction of a complaint redressal system as mandated by the Central authorities will also be activated. A complaint redressal mode has been included in the e-governance system about to be launched in the city. “The local body has already given shape to a City Development Plan. The document will be updated to serve as the vision document as required for the Smart City project,” he said. A development strategy document is also in place for the city which speaks about the direction in which the future development should proceed. These documents need to be updated for meeting the specifications prescribed by the authorities. “The civic administration will complete the formalities shortly,” he said.
