Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Sep 22: The seven cities in Karanataka that have been chosen to be developed under the smart cities project, will soon have ‘Smart City Implementation and Review Committee’ that will “guide and monitor” the progress of the already-delayed Smart Cities mission.

Bengaluru, Belagavi, Davangere, Hubballi-Dharwad, Shivamogga, Mangaluru and Tumakuru - have been chosen to receive Rs 500 crore each from the Centre under the Smart Cities mission.

The Urban Development Department (UDD) has issued an order delegating decision-making powers to special purpose vehicles (SPV) that will implement the project.

The ‘Smart City Implementation and Review Committee’ of each city are to take up regular review of the SPV decisions and ensure time-bound implementation, ensure public participation, resolve implementation problems and portray their respective cities as favourable investment destinations.

As the planning and implementation is taken up by the SPV, Urban Development Department had pressure to give elected representatives a say in the project. "However, the final say will remain with the SPVs. Powers have been delegated to the SPVs based on guidelines of the Centre," says Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development) Mahendra Jain.

In each city, the committee will comprise of MP, MLAs, leader of the Opposition party in the municipal corporation, the mayor among others. It will be chaired by the minister for Urban Development and co-chaired by the district in-charge minister.

To fast-track implementation of the project, the SPVs have been given powers to approve projects worth Rs 20 crore (sub-projects upto Rs 100 crore) and take decisions on tendering and consultancy. Projects above Rs 20 crore (sub-projects above Rs 100 crore) will have to be cleared by the state government.