Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, May 3: The first ever Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) meeting relating to Mangaluru Smart City Project implementation held at Bengaluru on Tuesday May 2 succeeded in ensuring that the central government released grant of Rs 107 crore for its implementation.

Ritesh Kumar Singh, who heads the SPV, and who is the in-charge secretary of Dakshina Kannada district, presided over the meeting. The city began its journey towards turning smart with central aid, by getting assistance of Rs 107 crore from union government on Tuesday. Chairman of Mangaluru Smart City SPV, Ritesh Kumar Singh, said that state government will release matching grant of Rs 107 crore within ten days for the project. He said that by using Rs 214 crore so pooled, work on Smart City Project will begin soon. The next meeting of SPV will be held in the city during June.

Discussions held at Bengaluru on Tuesday covered aspects like opening of the office of the SPV in the city, appointment of staff etc. Wadia Techno Services company was appointed as consultants for the project. This company will handle issues like setting up of office and appointment of employees.

SPV director Rukmini, who has been appointed by the central government, secretary in urban development department Ponnuraj, director appointed by the state, city mayor Kavita Sanil, deputy commissioner Jagadeesh, corporation commissioner Muhammed Nazeer, city corporators, Premanand Shetty, Lancylot Pinto, and Shashidhar Hegde, and Vishal Ravi appointed by the directorate of municipal administration participated in the meeting.

The city, which was one among the first 100 cities picked up for smart city project conceived by Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi had been chosen in the second lot of 20 cities announced by the centre for execution of this project. The city corporation had sent a proposal totalling Rs 2,000.72 crore to the centre under this project, out of which first installment of Rs 107 crore has been released now.