[PIB] Two day consultations with states on smart cities from tomorrow

Policy issues, implementation and financing issues to be discussed 

States to be briefed on competition based selection of cities for making them smart 

Postal Stamp on Swachh Bharat to be released tomorrow 

Before proceeding further with obtaining necessary approvals for launching the ambitious programme of development of smart cities in the county, the Ministry of Urban Development would like to take States and other stakeholders on board sensitizing them to the magnitude of the task and innovative policy and financing tools required to make a success of the smart cities initiative. The Ministry has convened a two day ‘Consultation Workshop with State Governments and Stakeholders on Smart Cities’ on 30-31, January 2015 in New Delhi.

As per the directions of the Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu, 10 critical issues will be discussed with the states for a clear standing of the issues, challenges and the road ahead. These include:

1.Competition based selection of cities for inclusion under smart cities programme;

2.Support and hand-holding the cities need to participate in the Smart City Challenge;

3.Policy issues in respect of area based strategy for development through retrofitting, redevelopment and green field smart city development;

4.Innovative financial tools for funding smart city development and making urban local bodies self-reliant;

5.Credit rating of cities and kick-starting issue of municipal bonds;

6.Promoting citizen participation in identifying project priorities, decision making and implementation;

7.Review of progress achieved under JNNURM with regard to implementation of reforms;

8.Leveraging primary economic activity of each city to augment employment generation;

9.Integrating Smart City Mission with National Urban Development Mission for 500 Cities; and

10. City sanitation and action taken under Swachh Bharat Mission.

Four Working Groups will take up focused discussion on Conditions Precedent and Selection Criteria for Smart City Challenge Competition, Reforms Agenda, Innovative Funding and Pan-City Development and Exemplary Developments.

During the inaugural session on January 30, 2015, a Postal Stamp on Swachh Bharat will be released. Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of Communications & IT Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad and Minister of Drinking Water & Sanitation Shri Chaudhary Birendra Singh will attend the inaugural session.

Source- PIB