With the idea to strengthen bonds and promote international understanding between Chandigarh and a twinned city in a foreign country, the UT Administration is mulling over the proposal of “twinning the cities”
The guidelines of “twinning the cities” proposal were discussed in a meeting held by UT Home Secretary with Head of UT Departments on Thursday. UT Home Secretary Anil Kumar has directed all UT Departments to submit their views on the said proposal by Monday.
So far, Paris in France is the most favored choice of most of the UT officials for the proposal. A senior official of the UT Administration said that the UT Departments have been asked to give their opinion on how Chandigarh can be connected with another city in a foreign country under the guidelines of “twinning the cities” issued by the Union Ministry of Urban Development.”
The official said that during the meeting, the guidelines for ‘twinning the cities’ were discussed. The objective of twinning arrangements is aimed at strengthening bonds of friendship between a city in India and the twinned city in another country. It would also encourage the study of culture, art, literature and language of twinned cities for better understanding between citizens and would promote exchanges in the area of trade and investment, also in the areas of technological growth and excellence. The UT Departments are likely to submit their views by Monday, he added.
According to the guidelines, the twinning should take place between recognized cities having the informal designation of commercial or business capitals of the countries concerned in keeping with the potential for high level of cooperation and collaboration in the above areas. After it agreed to twin any foreign city with an Indian city, an agreement may be reached on specific objectives of twinning with the broad framework of objectives. The official said that after discussing with the HoDs, the UT Administration will finalize a twin city in foreign country, with which Chandigarh can collaborate. A letter of MoUD was received regarding the proposal, hence the UT Administration is working on the said proposal.
The guidelines stated, “The twinning links will be at the local body level and expenditure involved, if any, in establishing the twinning links would be borne by the concerned local body. There will be no financial commitment on the part of the Central Government. Each case is required to be cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs from political angle and by the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance for foreign exchange implications, by way of receipt of assistance or transfer of sources.”
“Each such case should also be ratified by the Ministry of Urban Development, State Government (State Govt concerned for the city proposed to be twinned) and the local authorities of the cities to be twinned.