Vizag, Kakinada and Tirupati made it to the list of stage I smart cities challenge. The Centre will select 20 cities out of the 98 cities in December based on their master plans.
Not content with the selection of three cities for development under Smart Cities Mission by the Union government, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has decided to transform 13 more cities with the State initiative.
Andhra Pradesh has 13 municipal corporations and of them Visakhapantam, Kakinada and Tirupati made it to the list of smart cities challenge – stage 1- conducted by the Union Ministry of Urban Development in August this year.
These three smart cities are working on their master plans to be submitted for the stage II of the smart city challenge.
The Centre will select 20 cities out of the 98 cities that qualified in the Stage I competition in December based on their master plans.
Those who qualify in the final round will get Rs.500 crore Central aid over a period of four to five years.
In addition to the above cities, Chief Minister is keen that rest of municipal corporations and soon to be upgraded Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Machilipatnam also should be transformed as smart cities.
Confederation of Indian Industry, meanwhile, entered into an MoU with the AP government to develop Nellore as a smart city with the private initiative.
It would take a lead role as knowledge partner and facilitate flow of private investments for upgrading basic amenities and improving quality of life for citizens with digital technology and e-governance solutions.
Under the Smart City development plan, there are three categories - retrofitting plan in not less than 500 acres, redevelopment - not less than 200 acres and green development in not less than 50 acres.
State government has opted for retrofitting plan and it will rope in private investors in public private partnership mode. As the Rs.500 crore fund to be extended by the Centre to selected smart cities will not be enough, State will rope in private investors, both national and international.
CII which selected Nellore for its smart city plan, will also help in facilitating private investments to Kakinada and Tirupati. For Visakhapatnam, USTDA (US Trade and Development Agency) extended its cooperation to transform it into smart city and a grant agreement will be signed soon, according to official sources.
An Australian government agency has come forward to development Kurnool and they will work to bring in the private investors. Yokohama City Council of Japan has already conveyed that it will collaborate with AP government to make Kakinada a smart city along with GMR group.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): M.L.Melly Maitreyi
Quelle/Source: The Hindu, 20.10.2015
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