DEMANDS SURGE FOR INCLUSION IN SMART CITY LIST Monday, 04 August 2014 | PNS | BHUBANESWAR | in Bhubaneswar

DEMANDS SURGE FOR INCLUSION IN SMART CITY LIST

Monday, 04 August 2014 | PNS | BHUBANESWAR | in Bhubaneswar

After B’ngir MP, K’pada MP too seeks benefit

With Union Finance Minister  Arun Jaitley allocating Rs 7,040 crore in the Annual Budget for development of Smart Cities, demand by peoples’ representatives to setup such facilities in their respective areas has gone up in a big way.

Latest is the demand placed by Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, BJD MP from Balangir, who has written a letter to Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu requesting him to develop fourth largest city of western Odisha as a Smart City. 

Smart Cities would be ones with technology-based governance that enables efficient public service and has 24x7 water and power supply, cent per cent sewerage, drainage and solid waste management facilities, besides top class infrastructure.

Singh Deo said with a population of one lakh having been well connected with other zones of KBK and State Capital, Balangir has emerged as a leading player in sectors such as mining, MSME, handloom and textiles and is famous for excellent quality of tassar and cotton fabrics.

Having rich historical and cultural heritage, Balangir is also one of the major hubs of trade and commerce in the State, said Singh Deo. Balangir as a Smart City would spur development of its already existing mechanism and also facilitate increased investment and employment opportunities. It would provide impetus to the social status of the region and speed up economic development in this No-Industry Zone, leading to overall welfare of KBK Area.

Earlier Housing and Urban Development Minister Puspendra Singh Deo had already proposed names of 10 cities to the Central Government for the purpose.

At a recently concluded State Urban Ministers conclave, he had officially given the proposal to the Centre. The names of the cities which the State Government has proposed include Bhubaneswar and Puri, which are already covered under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM). 

While Cuttack has been declared a heritage city, two more cities have been declared as new municipal corporations, Rourkela and Sambalpur. The rest are Bhadrak, Bolangir, Jajpur, Jeypore, and Bhawanipatna.

 However, Kendrapara municipality has not been enlisted in the proposal of the State given to the Centre. On the other hand, Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda said recently that he has proposed inclusion of the city under ‘Smart City Plan’ and a proposal was given by him to the Central Government. He expressed hope that his proposal would be considered.