As Government of India Thursday released a list of 98 cities, including 24 state capitals, which are to be developed as smart cities, none of the two capital cities of Jammu and Kashmir figured in the list.
As Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu said that the “prime motive behind the smart city project is to enhance urban life”, he also said that Jammu and Kashmir has asked for more time to decide on the potential cities.
Naidu’s confirmation that J&K wants more time in deciding about the potential cities has proved sources right that the coalition partners (PDP and BJP) in the state government have failed to build consensus over deciding about one city as smart city among the winter and state capital.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelWhile BJP pitches for Jammu to be declared as smart city, PDP wants to have something to sell before their voters in Srinagar. In this tussle, PDP-BJP government promising Smart Cities in their Common Minimum Programme (CMP) has already lost the opportunity in deciding between choosing Jammu and Srinagar as its nominee for the project.
The Smart City believed to provide “very high quality of life comparable with any developed European city” will be given one to each state. (KNS)