Lucknow, Chandigarh, Agartala among 13 new smart cities picked by govt | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Lucknow, Chandigarh, Agartala among 13 new smart cities picked by govt

Hindustan Times | By, New Delhi
May 25, 2016 11:39 AM IST

Lucknow, New Town in Kolkata, Bhagalpur and Dharamsala are among the 13 urban centres picked to be developed as smart cities under the Modi government’s ambitious plan for an urban overhaul.

Lucknow, New Town in Kolkata, Bhagalpur and Dharamsala are among the 13 urban centres picked to be developed as smart cities under the Modi government’s ambitious plan for an urban overhaul.

In this file photo, a woman is seen decorating the Rock Garden in Chandigarh.(Keshav Singh/ HT Photo)
In this file photo, a woman is seen decorating the Rock Garden in Chandigarh.(Keshav Singh/ HT Photo)

Chandigarh, Faridabad, Raipur, Ranchi, Warangal, Agartala, Imphal, Port Blair and Panaji are the other cities chosen on Tuesday through a fast-track competition.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Meant to change the way urban India lives, smart cities will enjoy uninterrupted power and water supplies, internet connectivity, e-governance along with quality infrastructure.

In January, when the first 20 smart cities were announced the urban development ministry had come under fire for leaving out cities from non-NDA states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.

Upset over the exclusion of the three potential smart cities from Bihar, chief minister Nitish Kumar had said the urban plan promoted “regional inequality.”

Read: Govt names 20 cities for smart makeover; Bhubaneswar tops list

Other state government also said the first list was tilted heavily in favour of the NDA-ruled state. All the 12 cities from Uttar Pradesh -- short-listed from the 98 potential smart cities -- lost out in the first round.

To stave off criticism, the ministry decided to fast track the selection process to choose the second lot from a list of 23.

Two of the 13 cities are in Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow) and Himachal Pradesh (Dharamsala) that go to the polls in 2017. While the Congress is in power in Himachal, the Samajwadi Party rules Uttar Pradesh.

Four cities – Faridabad (Haryana), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and Panaji (Goa) – are in BJP-ruled states. The capital city of Congress-ruled Manipur, Imphal, too has made the cut.

The 13 cities have proposed projects involving a total investment of Rs 30,229 crore.

The ministry has also decided to allow seven capital cities -- Patna, Shimla, Naya Raipur, Itanagar, Amaravati, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram -- to participate in the competition. The cities were not on the list of 98 potential smart cities.

Smart cities are picked though a two-stage process. In the first stage, a state shortlists potential cities and send the names to the Centre. In the second round, these nominated cities compete with each other.

The selection is based on the scores cities get for carrying out urban reforms in areas including sanitation and governance.

While 20 cities were selected in January, 40 more will be added to the list by the yearend. Each city will be given R500 crore by the Centre over five years. The states will have to make a matching contribution.

Stalemate over J&K, UP cities

The Centre has decided to allow both Jammu and Srinagar from the border state and Meerut and Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh to make a pitch for the tag. But, the ministry has made it clear that only one city will be picked from each of these states.

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Arvind Kejriwal Arrest Live Updates, Bihar Board 12th Result Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On