[Urbanstudy] Bengaluru: We are still in Smart City race: Chief Secretary GoK

[Vinay Baindur]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/We-are-still-in-Smart-City-race-CS/articleshow/52317659.cms



We are still in Smart City race: CSTNN | May 18, 2016, 04.49 AM IST

Bengaluru: The state government once again made a pitch to add Bengaluru to
the list of smart cities - a government of India initiative to develop 100
cities with smart solutions.


On Tuesday, chief secretary Aravind Jadhav reiterated the Karnataka
government's stand to the Centre, after a review meeting of all
GoI-sponsored programmes. "Forget the GoI. If you ask me, Bengaluru
deserves to be on the list," said Jadhav, in front of central officials.


However, GoI representative and secretary to the ministry of urban
development Rajiv Gauba did not react to the statement. Jadhav admitted the
Centre gauges the Smart City Mission on a set of criteria which failed in
Bengaluru, but the city was on track in fulfilling these.


Earlier, reviewing the special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the Smart City
project in Belagavi and Davanagere, Gauba and Jadhav criticized the setup
of the SPV. Jadhav took exception to the statement of the Karnataka Urban
Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) that only IIM
graduates will be hired as professionals to be part of the SPVs. "We need
to remove the mindset that only IIM produces good graduates. Why not MBA
graduates?" he asked.


He and Gauba also criticized the KUIDFC's proposal to send projects above
Rs 10 crore to the empowered panel, headed by the chief secretary. If you
keep sending projects above Rs 10 crore to the empowered panel, the
projects will never take off under the Smart City concept. The idea is to
decentralize and give more powers at the local level," said Gauba.


Quoting an example of Odisha, the officials said an SPV was formed with
powers to sanction projects of up to Rs 500 crore. At the other end, 27
cities selected under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban
Transformation (AMRUT) will each showcase an Amrut Lung Space under the
scheme. Identifying the development of the lung space or park, the cities
will have a Brand Amrut green space every year for the next three years. It
will involve either upgrading a large existing park or creating a new one.
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