Smart City Mission: Plans submitted to UD ministry

All the 23 cities and towns from as many States and Union Territories that were given an opportunity to participate in the 'Fast Track Competition' under Smart City Mission submitted their revised plans today.

According to a Urban Development Ministry release, the deadline for submission of Smart city proposals ends today.

The revised plans of these 23 cities, including 15 capitals, would be evaluated by May 15 this year and those meeting the benchmark set by the winning cities in the first round of Smart City Challenge Competition will be announced for extending central assistance.

Bhubaneswar was ranked number one and Bhopal stood last in the first list of 20 mission cities announced earlier on January 28, 2016.

Since only 12 States and UTs were represented in the first list, the Ministry offered another opportunity to the unrepresented 23 States and UTs to participate in Fast Track Competition in pursuance of the principle of urban transformation across the country.

After evaluation of Smart City Plans of 97 cities in the first round of competition and announcement of the first list, the remaining were informed of the deficiencies in the plans.

The inadequacies identified included, lacunae in assessment of cities, disconnect between citizens' aspirations and vision documents, disconnect between vision document and SWOT analysis, too ambitious nature of plans, mismatch between costs and resource mobilization, lacunae in implementation plans and result orientation.

A day after the announcement of the first list of 20 smart cities, Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha had interacted with the Chief Secretaries of all the States and UTs and Municipal Commissioners of all 97 mission cities on the principles of preparation of smart city plans and urged those cities not included in the first list not to lose heart and instead to revisit their plans for addressing deficiencies.

During the video-conferencing by Cabinet Secretary, several cities admitted to lacunae in different aspects of plans and assured to correct the same.