Shillong: The Meghalaya capital was on Wednesday selected as the 100th smart city, more than two years after the Smart City Mission was initiated by the Centre.
A press communiqué of the Union ministry of housing and urban development said Shillong was selected after evaluating the proposal submitted by it. There have been 99 cities that were selected in four rounds of competition and with Wednesday's announcement, the selection of 100 cities has been completed under the Smart Cities Mission.
Previously, 20 cities were selected in January 2016, 13 cities in May 2016, 27 cities in September 2016, 30 cities in June 2017 and nine cities in January 2018.
With the selection of Shillong, the total proposed investment in the finally-selected 100 cities under the Smart Cities Mission would be Rs 2,05,018 crore, the communiqué added.
The previous Congress-led government had not agreed to the Smart City Mission because of the funding pattern.
The then Meghalaya government had asked the Centre to undertake a 90:10 funding pattern (90 per cent funding from the Centre, and 10 per cent from the state) for the smart city project.
The funding pattern for the smart city project is on a 50:50 basis between the Centre and states.
In February last year, the government had prepared a proposal for the Smart City Mission. According to the proposal, the financial implication for implementing the smart city project for Shillong was worked out at Rs 1,279 crore. Of this amount, Rs 1,272 crore has been earmarked for area-based development and Rs 7 crore for pan-city development.
Work under the area-based development includes sewerage, sanitation, storm-water drainage, redevelopment of Iewduh, Shillong's biggest market hub, water supply, public information system and public safety, power, solar lighting, rehabilitation of vendors and development of a market complex at Polo, facilities for street vendors and skill development, smart parking, flyovers, pedestrian pathways, roads, and others.
The projects proposed to be undertaken under pan-city development include smart transport and solid-waste management.