Smart cities project will be a long-term plan
The smart cities project is a long-term plan and expecting results overnight will be immature, Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said here on Friday. He indicated a larger, dominant role for the States in the project with the Centre playing only a supporting role.
Naidu said that contrary to popular perception, the project would be Brownfield investments (development of existing facilities) and not Greenfield (a fresh venture). It is an important initiative by the Prime Minister.
Naidu said addressing a national conclave of States and Union Territories on smart cities that they have formulated a draft which was placed before secretaries and now it will be discussed with the government and then they will prepare a draft and show it to the Prime Minister following which it will go to the Cabinet for approval. It is a new concept very attractive but not that easy to implement as they have to get the States on board. He dispelled the notion that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had set aside Rs. 7,000 crore for the project in the Union Budget.
Source: The Hindu
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