The State government has initiated measures to prepare a road map for the major cities to fulfil all the criteria fixed by the Union government for inclusion in the Smart Cities project to avail windfall of financial assistance for development activities.
Municipal Administration Minister Qamarul Islam told presspersons in Kalaburagi on Sunday that the Union government had already decided to include six cities from Karnataka in the project. During the current year, of the 100 cities to be included in the Smart Cities project, 20 would be included in the first phase, and 40 cities each would be included in the second and third phase respectively during 2016-17 and 2017-18.
“It is a race against time to meet all the criteria and only those cities that fulfil all the criteria and score the maximum marks would be included in the project by the Union government. And, no preferential treatment would be given to any of the cities. It will be a stiff competition and only the best would be selected,” the Minister added.
So, the State government will convene a meeting of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Commissioners of all the city corporations, and the chairperson of the Urban Development Authorities in all the major cities to chalk out a roadmap for preparing a plan for meeting all the criteria so that maximum number of cities in the State quality for being included in the project. However, the date of the meetings is yet to be finalised.
Once a city is selected under the project, the Centre will provide Rs. 100 crore every year for five years for the overall development of the city concerned. The State government has mentioned Kalaburagi, Bengaluru, Hubli-Dharwad, Vijayapura. Mangaluru, and Mysuru cities in its proposal to the Centre seeking inclusion of these in the list of 100 cities that the Centre plans to develop as smart cities.
The State govt. has sought the inclusion of Kalaburagi, Bengaluru, Hubli-Dharwad, Vijayapura. Mangaluru, and Mysuru under the project
