Third List Of Smart Cities Out, Thiruananthapuram Tops The List

The Government today announced the next 30 batch of Smart Cities, marking the second anniversary of the Smart Cities Mission.

Tiruananthpuram topped the list followed by Naya Raipur, Rajkot and Amravati. Jammu and Srinagar made it to the list and Bihar also made its foray in the list with Patna and Muzaffarpur being selected as smart cities.

The list falls short of the initially 40 cities as 10 cities scored poorly in the competition and the government has asked them to rework on their city proposals. For the remaining 10 spots, 20 cities - Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, Biharsharif in Bihar, Diu in Daman & Diu, Silvassa in Dadra and Nager Haveli, Kavaratti in Lakshadweep, Navi Mumbai, Greater Mumbai and Amaravati in Maharashtra, Imphal in Manipur, Shillong in Meghalaya, Dindigul and Erode in Tamil Nadu, Bidhannagar, Durgapur and Haldia in West Bengal, Meerut, Rai Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Sharanpur and Rampur in U.P. - would have to compete.

"We have selected only 30 cities as the completion was strict and the cities have to work hard to make it to the list" Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu said.

These cities have proposed to invest Rs 57,393 crore under respective smart city plans. With this, the total number of such cities have gone up to 90 with a total investment of Rs 1,91,155 crore. This includes Rs46,879 crore for core infrastructure development and Rs10,514 crore for technology-based development.

The government also announce the launch of City Liveability Index. The list, based on 79 parameters, will assess the quality of living in the city.

The minister informed that the first ranking will be done in Year 2018, which will include all smart cities, all capital cities among others and will be done on a larger scale than Swachh Sarvekshan.

Since January 2016, names of 60 cities have been announced in three rounds of competition. Of these, New Town Kolkata withdrew after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee decided she would create ‘Green Cities’ without the Centre’s mission funding. Mumbai also withdrew from the mission on political grounds citing lower funds for the mission.

Urban Development Secretary, Rajiv Gauba said “The work that has been done in the last two years needs to be acknowledged. Significant progress that has taken place. In last three months under the leadership of the minister we have visited 22 states to take stock of the missions.We are doing things differently this time”.  It was Rajiv Gauba, s last day  in office as he will move to Home Ministry as home secretary.

BW Online Bureau

BW Reporters