Smart cities’ selection to be based on competition, says Venkaiah Naidu

The selection of the 100 smart cities will be based on competition, the Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu said on Friday.

“The Ministry is currently working on a ‘city challenge’ framework with the objective of selecting right city candidates for participation in schemes such as building 100 smart cities and development of 500 cities and towns,” Naidu said.

The Minister was addressing a ‘Consultative workshop on urban governance’ organised here for municipal commissioners of 130 cities and towns from Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

All cities and towns seeking to participate in these schemes will be profiled based on specific parameters that have a bearing on their ability to address issues of governance, reforms, resource mobilisation, execution, etc., the Minister said, adding “while addressing the issue of geographical spread, only the deserving will be assisted.” Referring to investment needs for urban initiatives, Naidu said about ₹40 lakh crore is required for provision of basic infrastructure besides another ₹20 lakh crore for operation and maintenance of urban utilities over the next 20 years, another ₹15 lakh crore for meeting housing shortage besides ₹60,009 crore for sanitation. The total investment needs come to about ₹72 lakh crore, most of which has to come from private sources, he added.