Ronnie to take up smart city issue with Naidu

SHILLONG: Urban Affairs Minister Ronnie Lyngdoh will talk to Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu about the need for 90:10 funding pattern to start the Smart City project for Shillong.
Earlier, the State Government was in a dilemma as the Centre had insisted on 50:50 funding pattern as per the Smart City plan.
Lyngdoh said on Monday that during the meeting of the eight northeastern states to be chaired by the Union Minister in Guwahati on Tuesday, he would take up the Smart City issue and the change in funding pattern.
The meeting was called to assess the progress of new urban missions in the states.
“We are yet to opt out of the Smart City project though we raised our objection to the 50:50 funding pattern as it is difficult to mobilise funds in the current funding pattern,” Lyngdoh said.
According to Lyngdoh, as per the Smart City project, a minimum of Rs 1,500 crore is estimated to improve the sewerage system, drainage ad waste management, among others.
Lyngdoh said last October, the chief minister had written to the Prime Minister expressing the State Government’s reservation for the 50:50 funding pattern. However, there was no reply from the Centre, the minister added.
While five cities — Guwahati, Imphal, Agartala, Kohima and Namchi (Sikkim) — in the North East have been selected under the Smart City project, Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh), Shillong and Aizawl are participating in the third round of the competition.
The Ministry of Urban Development provides an assistance of Rs 500 crore to each smart city over a period of five years.
However, Shillong was included under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), and the Ministry of Urban Development supports 90% of the project costs in the Northeast states as against only one third to half of the project costs in other States.