As Shillong city has been selected as the 100th smart city, the Meghalaya Urban Affairs Minister, Hamlet Dohling on Monday said that the State Government cannot afford to lose such a golden opportunity even if the funding pattern for the project was on a 50:50 basis.
Interacting with media in Shillong on Monday, Meghalaya Urban Affairs Minister, Hamlet Dohling said that the State Government was still waiting for the necessary details of the approval of the proposal made by the Meghalaya Government.
He, however, said that it was clear that the project would be developed on a pattern of 50:50 funding.
He also said that it is indeed a privilege that Shillong has been selected by the Union Government and that one cannot waste such a golden opportunity.
He also said that the Government would try to mobilize the resources for the massive projects which would be taken up under the Smart City project.
Shillong, was selected as the 100th Smart City after evaluating a proposal submitted by the State Government.
Notably, the 100th slot for the Smart Cities Mission was kept on hold for Shillong, but the State Government couldn’t submit its proposal on time due to the state Assembly elections on February 27 early this year.
The 100 Smart Cities Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 25, 2015.
Under the mission, the Centre allocates Rs 500 crore to each of the cities for implementing projects proposed by it.
This amount is matched with a grant of the same amount by the respective state.
With the selection of Shillong, the total proposed investment in the finally selected 100 cities under the Smart Cities Mission would be Rs 2,05,018 crore.