The State Urban Development Agency (SUDA) will be developing Raigarh in Chhattisgarh categorised as ‘Classic Smart City’.
Preparation of proposal for assisting Raigarh city for implementing the 'Classic Smart City Project' would be taken up soon, officials informed.
Notably, top brains currently being nurtured in the country’s premier business and technology schools will also soon get assignments to prepare urban development plans for civic bodies in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
The Chhattisgarh Urban Administration and Development Department has decided to invite interns comprising mainly students and researchers from renowned institutions like IITs and IIMs who would help in preparing better plans for management of water supply, low cost housing, sewerage management, solid waste management, poverty eradication, study of various State and Central schemes related to vehicular traffic management in urban areas.
As per official information released, under the AMRUT Mission the nine municipal corporations- Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Bhilai, Korba, Rajnandgaon, Raigarh, Jagdalpur and Ambikapur- have been selected wherein ‘Shahar Sandhan Yojna’ (City Research Scheme) will be launched.
The scheme is aimed at utilizing the educational knowledge of students and researchers in better development of cities, officials said.
The State Urban Administration and Development Authority has already issued directives to all nine Municipal Corporations in this regard.
The students in final year of graduation or post graduation studying Engineering, Management, Town Planning, Environment, Technology or Social Studies will be eligible for carrying out the studies.
The research scholars can also take part in the studies in various municipal corporations.
Notably, the Central Government had also released the first installment of Rs55.29 crore out of the approved Rs573.40 crore for State Annual Action Plan (SAAP) under AMRUT project for the current financial year in Chhattisgarh.
The Union Ministry of Urban Development has already released Central Assistance of Rs1,062.27 crore to 13 States as first installment under AMRUT project for the current financial year, officials stated.
This is a part of total Central Assistance of Rs 5,311.38 crore committed to 13 States for which the Ministry has approved Atal Mission Action Plans for 2015-16 entailing total investment of Rs11,671.76 cr in 286 cities in these states.
AMRUT project launched in June this year aims at ensuring water supply connections and sewer connections to all urban households in 500 mission cities besides supplying water at the norm of 135 litres per capita per day, on priority.
Under this mission, construction of storm water drains, promotion of non-motorised urban transport, provision of parks and green spaces also will be supported.
The purpose of AMRUT is to ensure that every household has access to a tap with assured supply of water and a sewerage connection, increase in amenity value of cities by developing greenery and well maintained open spaces (parks) and reduce pollution by switching to public transport or constructing facilities for non-motorized transport (like walking and cycling).
Moreover, Chhattisgarh Government is also mulling over plans to mobilise additional financial resources through 14th Finance Commission recommendations for implementation of the AMRUT project in nine cities of Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
The action plan drawn up by the Government has already prioritised proposed investment across cities as per principle of prioritisation of AMRUT. Investment had been broadly distributed across nine AMRUT cities. Distribution of Investment is based on priority for providing 100 per cent universal coverage in primary thrust sectors.
Notably, as many as 27 water supply projects to be taken up across Chhattisgarh under Centre’s AMRUT project would involve an expenditure of 440.95 crore during the current financial year.
The Centre’s funding component in the project would be Rs212.13 crore while the Chhattisgarh would contribute Rs137.08 crore with Urban local Bodies (UlBs) share being Rs91.38 crore, offcials stated.
Overall the Mission Thrust areas under AMRUT Project would be — Water supply, Sewerage and Septage Management, Storm Water Drain, Pedestrian, Non Motorised and Public Transport Facilities, Parking Space, Green Spaces, Park and Recreation centres.