SHILLONG: The state government may not be sure of gifting its people a smart city sooner but it can for sure fulfil a similar dream at the grassroots level.
The government will sign an MoU with University of Berkley in California soon for technological support in developing smart villages. It has decided to allocate Rs 11 crore for the project, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had announced during a recent programme in the city.
When contacted, an official said the government will use technology to provide a global platform in villages.
Under the programme, the government will select villages with better connectivity so that they can be connected with the global market, the official said.
“It is looking to set up enterprises in these villages which will get many technological solutions from global brands like Google and others,” he added.
It may be mentioned that Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have already started working on the idea and Meghalaya will be the third state to implement this scheme.