Warangal re-enters Smart City tag race

After evaluation of Smart City Plans of 97 cities in the first round of competition and announcement of the first list of 20 smart cities, the remaining were informed of the deficiencies in the plans

New Delhi: The Warangal city administration in Telangana had entered the city into the Smart City competition here on Thursday along with 22 others in the country. All the 23 cities and towns from as many States and Union Territories that had been given an opportunity to participate in the ‘Fast Track Competition’ under Smart City Mission had submitted revised Smart City plans on Thursday to the Ministry of Urban Development. April 21 was set as the deadline for the submission of proposals by the Ministry.

The revised plans of these 23 cities, including 15 capitals, would be evaluated by May 15 this year and those meeting the benchmark set by the winning cities in the first round of ‘Smart City Challenge Competition,’ would be announced for extending Central assistance. Bhubaneswar was ranked number one and Bhopal at number 20 in the first list of mission cities announced on January 28, 2016.

Since only 12 States and UTs were represented in the first list of 20 mission cities announced earlier, the Ministry offered an opportunity to the highest ranked city in the first round of competition in each of the unrepresented 23 States and UTs to participate in Fast Track Competition in pursuance of the principle of urban transformation across the country.

After evaluation of Smart City Plans of 97 cities in the first round of competition and announcement of the first list of 20 smart cities, the remaining were informed of the deficiencies in the plans. The inadequacies identified included lacunae in assessment of cities, disconnect between citizens’ aspirations and vision documents, disconnect between vision document and SWOT analysis, too ambitious nature of plans, mismatch between costs and resource mobilisation, lacunae in implementation plans and result orientation.