Only “deserving cities” will be eligible for the Centre's aid under flagship programmes like the 'smart city' initiative, Union Minister for Urban Development, M Venkaiah Naidu said on Friday.
Addressing a consultative workshop of municipal commissioners from nine States, Mr. Naidu said, financing for new initiatives will be based on the ability of urban local bodies to reform urban governance and rise to the new challenges.
Mr. Naidu said the Ministry is currently working on a ‘City Challenge’ framework, which will help identify the right cities for participation in schemes like building 100 smart cities and development of 500 cities and towns.
All cities and towns seeking to participate in these schemes will be profiled based on specific parameters that have a bearing on their ability to address issues of governance reforms, resource mobilisation, execution etc., the Minister said.
“While addressing the issue of geographical spread, only the deserving will be assisted”, he said, pointing out that “a radical reorientation of mindsets and methodologies is the need of the hour to convert rapid urbanisation into an economic opportunity”.
He also expressed concern over the “appalling state” of affairs in urban areas, marked by “weak urban governance structures, uninspiring leadership at the level of both selected and elected urban managers, poor inventory management and resource base, weak urban planning and execution, urban mobility being a nightmarish experience, housing shortage, inadequate water and power supply and despicable management of solid waste and treatment of sewerage etc.”
Mr. Naidu said that about Rs 40 lakh crore is required for provision of basic infrastructure besides another Rs 20 lakh crore for operation and maintenance of urban utilities over the next 20 years. Another Rs15 lakh crore is needed for meeting housing shortage besides Rs.60, 009 crore for sanitation.
The Minister suggested a 10point charter to be ensured for each city, which includes city Master Plans, and city sanitation plans; long term urban development plans for district and city mobility plans. Strategies for promotion of renewable energy sources, regulatory bodies for pricing of utilities like water, power, and assessment and revision of taxes, assessing credit worthiness of each city to mobilise resources from appropriate sources; promotion of water harvesting and water recycling promoting citizens in urban planning, decision making and management, capacity building in key disciplines; and improving urban governance through adoption of ICT platforms.
