Mangalore City Corporation will include Moodshedde and Bala gram panchayat areas in the corporation limits to stake claim to be part of the Smart City scheme of the Union government. At present, the population in the corporation limits, as per 2011 census, is a little over 4.99 lakh — falling short by a fewer than 1,000 — to be eligible for the Smart City project announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Talking to presspersons here on Wednesday, Mayor Mahabala Marla said that the corporation council passed a resolution three years ago to bring Moodshedde and Bala gram panchayats within the corporation limits. This will bring 81,031 persons (as per the 2011 census) within the corporation limits. “We are pushing for approval of this resolution by the State Cabinet. We can get good funds under the Smart City scheme for development schemes,” he said.
Mr. Marla said that except for the population figures, the corporation met all other parameters such as transport, healthcare and solid waste management to be part of the Smart City scheme.
As per the concept paper of the Union Ministry of Urban Development, a Smart City is the one that has good infrastructure — water, clean air, power supply and healthcare — which will attract investments. The Union government has planned to develop 100 smart cities in the country.
On the Greater Mangalore project proposal aimed at amalgamating other areas, including Mulky, Mr. Marla said that the corporation was not in a position to spend on development works in areas to be merged. At the same time, not much revenue could be expected from such areas. “We can consider it at a later stage when the existing areas get developed using funds available under the Smart City scheme,” he said.
