*Lack of focus on riders of MoUD may play spoilsport
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 1: Notwithstanding the much hype being created by the PDP-BJP Coalition Government over making headway in getting benefit of Smart City Mission launched by Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, dark clouds are still hovering over two Capital Cities of Jammu and Srinagar formally qualifying for the Mission as the next round of competition is all set to be conducted in the month of December but proposals are still at the stage of formulation. Moreover, there is absolutely no focus on the riders put by the Centre for availing the benefits and there are apprehensions that this may play the spoilsport.
The Smart City Mission of the Union Urban Development Ministry is the first ever programme wherein challenge or competition method is used to select cities for funding. This is actually a different methodology from the conventional Detailed Project Report (DPR) driven approach.
As per the process of selection devised by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, each aspiring city competes for selection as a Smart City in what is called a “City Challenge” after submission of Smart City Proposals (SCPs). An evaluation criteria for the Smart City Proposals has been worked out by the Union Ministry based on professional advice and this act as guidance to the cities for preparing their proposals, which are then evaluated by a committee involving a panel of national and international experts, organizations and institutions. Thereafter, the winning cities are announced and start taking action on ground.
Till today, out of 100 Smart Cities proposed to be established by the Union Housing and Urban Development Ministry, 60 have been announced and J&K failed to participate in the Smart City Challenge conducted till date mainly because of failure of State’s Housing and Urban Development Departm-ent to submit the proposals to the Union Ministry, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
The next round of Smart City Challenge is likely to be conducted by the Union Ministry in the month of December this year but J&K has yet not submitted the required proposals till date, they informed, adding “what to talk of submission of proposals the same are still at the stage of formulation by the concerned authorities following which the same will be cleared by the Housing and Urban Development Department before being placed before the Union Government”.
“Even process of interaction and consultation with the stakeholders in the formulation of Smart City Proposals has not been concluded till date by the concerned authorities of the Housing and Urban Development Department”, sources regretted, adding “this is notwithstanding the fact that feedback, ideas and suggestions are imperative for formulation of proper city vision”.
It is pertinent to mention here that when the list of 27 selected Smart Cities was announced by the Union Government in the month of September this year, the Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh, who also holds the portfolio of Housing and Urban Development Department, had stated that preparation of proposals was at final stage and the same would be submitted to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Development within shortest possible time but the fact remains that proposals are still being formulated.
In this way, dark clouds are still hovering over Capital Cities of Jammu and Srinagar qualifying for the Smart City Mission even in the forthcoming round of competition, sources remarked while disclosing that both the Capital Cities of J&K are still far behind meeting the parameters fixed by the Union Ministry for being included in the Smart City Mission.
Stating that non-adherence to the riders put by the Union Ministry will play spoilsport, sources informed that approval of Master Plan for the proposed cities has been made mandatory for being selected under Smart City Mission but these vital vision documents of both the Capital Cities of J&K are yet to be approved by the State Cabinet. “Moreover, there is absolutely no focus on introduction of Property Tax, which is also one of the pre-requisite for availing benefit of Smart City Mission”, they added.
“Even if the Smart City Proposals are submitted well in time to the Union Ministry for participation in next round of Smart City Challenge, the Jammu and Srinagar Cities will have to secure the required number of points on certain parameters like transportation condition, water availability, reduction in water wastage, solid waste management, energy availability and reduction of outages etc while competing with other participating cities before being selected under the Smart City Mission”, sources said.
“This clearly indicates that there is many a slip between the cup and the lip as far as approval to Jammu and Srinagar Cities under Smart City Mission is concerned and the much hype being created by the PDP-BJP Coalition Government is only aimed at befooling the people”, sources remarked.
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