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| Announced in 2015, Govt forgets Smart City Projects | | Of Rs 500 Cr, JK spends Rs 1.5 Cr in 2 yrs | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 14: The government is making a mockery of the Smart City proposal for Jammu and Srinagar cities with no more than mere two percent of funds meant for the project having been utilised on ground.
As per official documents in possession of Early Times, the central government has sanctioned an estimated amount of Rs 500 Crore rupees out of Prime Minister's special package for the creation of smart cities in the twin capitals of the state.
As the entire amount of Rs 500 crore stand sanctioned since the year 2017, mere Rs 1.50 crore have so far been spent in Jammu and Srinagar districts on the project.
The figures have once again taken a lid over the government's non- serious approach towards ensuring the timely completion of the developmental projects in the state. It has also shown how the government which keeps trumpeting its achievements on ensuring time bound completion of the vital projects has even failed to create a single Smart Lane, leave alone making the twin capitals Smart.
Pertinently, the State Government vide Order No.1081-GAD dated August 21, 2017 constituted Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) as Companies Limited by shares named as Jammu Smart City Limited and Srinagar Smart City Limited under the Companies Act, 2013 with authorized share capital of Rs 10 lakh, equity share of Rs 10 each and paid up capital of Rs 10 lakh for both the companies for implementation of smart city development projects.
As per the reports, however, the government through the executing agency is yet to start the works which would be taken up under the Phase-I. "The government is yet to identify the Phase- I of the project, leave alone initiating the work on it.
It is also being informed that the government is making least efforts to begin the work in Jammu and Srinagar for the creation of the smart cities. The core infrastructure elements in a smart city include adequate water supply, assured electricity supply, sanitation including solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, affordable housing, robust IT connectivity and digitalization, good governance especially e-governance and citizen participation and sustainable environment.
For Jammu, project will focus on its heritage, tourism, core city area development, sustainable public spaces, urban mobility and its infrastructure, sewage, sanitation, drainage, and solid waste management.
The Smart Cities Mission was launched by the Prime Minister Smart City Mission-aimed at improving basic urban infrastructure in cities-was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2015.
"This is utterly shameful that a year has passed since the sanctioning of the funds under Prime Minister's package for Jammu and Kashmir, the government is yet finding it hard to start the process. This has shown how the funds are made to lapse and people denied the facilities they deserve. The file pertaining to the matter hasn't been discussed since long and it seems that the government has forgotten the proposal long time ago," says an official privy to the project details. |
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