Alternate Scheme to come up in lieu of Smart City

SHILLONG: The government will come up with an alternative scheme in place of Smart City Project after the Center and the State Government stand in disaccord over the 50-50 funding pattern.
The state government has not agreed to the 50-50 funding pattern for the implementation of the Smart City Project as the state was looking for the 90-10 funding pattern in which the Center would bear 90 per cent of the cost and the state would support 10 per cent.
However, the State Government will take up its own scheme to make Shillong a livable and Smart City, according to a source.
“An alternative scheme will come up in place of Smart City which will address the needs of the city,” the source said.
The government is preparing to make Shillong, a Smart City by looking at other mediums, and the target is to so be within five years.
(Referring to the Swachh Surveshan ranking in which Meghalaya was placed at low ranking of 276; the source said that it was not based on primary data as no field verification was done.
“The ranking was based on secondary survey like people’s response on social media and others, there was no primary evaluation. We also don’t have a civic body for the whole of Shillong which has led to such low rankings,” the source added.
It is learnt that other places outside the Municipal areas are usually clean but then in the absence of a civic body for the city, the survey excluded such areas from its survey. It may be mentioned that the state was ranked 53 in 2016.