The State which was aiming at seven of its urban centres receiving Central funds under the 100 Smart Cities programme appears to have suffered a setback with the Union government allowing only one such centre to be selected from the State on Thursday.
Urban Affairs Minister Manjalamkuzhi Ali, talking to The Hindu over phone from New Delhi, said it was unfortunate and condemnable that only one centre was approved from the State even when smaller States and Union Territories got more. The State would let its displeasure be known at the Centre and would present its case for more centres to be selected from the State.
“The norms and criteria were changed at the last minute, and in a one-sided manner,” he said, pointing out that considering the pace of growth and potential of Kerala’s urban centres, the State certainly deserved more centres to be included in the scheme.
The seven urban centres that the State had hoped to get on the list were Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kollam, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Kannur, and Malappuram. Now the choice will have to be narrowed down if the Centre refuses to allow more, and this would be done after further consultations with officials involved.
As for the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for 500 cities, which would replace the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, the State would get to develop 18 urban centres. “We have received the guidelines for the mission and we will be initiating the necessary procedures soon,” Mr. Ali said.
State wanted Central funds for 7 urban centres
Norms changed at the last minute: Manjalamkuzhi Ali
