Smart City Project, Company with 17 directors to be Formed – MLA Lobo

Smart City Project, Company with 17 directors to be Formed – MLA Lobo

Mangaluru: “I congratulate the Mangalore City corporation for being chosen for the Smart city. I also thank the State government and the Union government for giving an opportunity to Mangaluru to be a Smart City”, said MLA J R Lobo in a press meet held at the district congress office here on September 24.

Addressing the mediapersons Lobo said that to implement the Smart city project, we have to start working immediately. For this project, the Union government and the state government will sanction equal funds. This year we have concentrated on the fisheries and old port and submitted our proposal. Last year we had no clue while submitting our project and our city was not selected. The city, in order to grow, the fisheries and the old port should be developed since there will be ample job opportunities. This year because of the Fisheries and old port we have been selected in the smart city list.

He further said that for the smart city project we will get Rs 1000 crore for a period of three years, for this, we need to form a company. For the first year, we will get Rs 200 crore each from the state and Union government. In the second year Rs 150 crore each and in the third year Rs 150 crore each from the state and Union government. We need to spend all the amount within the time frame.

He also said that we will form a company by the end of this month. Of the 17 directors, there will be one representative from the union government, one independent representative and from the Mangaluru City Corporation 7 members and from state government 7 representatives including MLAs and MP. The company should be formed immediately to get the reserved funds, any funds granted from the Union government should be utilized within the given time frame. We need to complete the blueprints of the project as soon as possible.

Along with the Fisheries and old port, we will develop tourism, information technology, and world class railway station. We have already started total computerization in MCC which will help the smart city project. Within a year the entire MCC work will be digitized. Transport and district administration will be digitized. Our markets should be transformed to world class and we will conduct a study to make our markets world class. We are planning on how to give priority to the IT sector, how to bring the investment and how to utilize the port for tourism. We have already received a grant of Rs 400 crore from the Asian Development bank under the second phase of ADB project for the up gradation of the drainage and water supply. Under the Amrith project, the MCC will get Rs 150 crore for the development of the drainage, in three years time Rs 1200 crore will be invested for development purposes. This is the first time we are getting such a huge amount for the development of Mangaluru.

He also said that last time we did not get the smart city project, but this time we have to start working on it. We also need to make a sports city for which we need to identify the place. We have an opportunity to develop the Hampankatta, car street and the old port area these areas need to be upgraded. He urged the people of Mangaluru to lend their full support for this project. The state government and Union government are supporting our city. Whatever funds we are getting from the Union government is an achievement for Mangaluru. When we invest for the smart city we should think of upgrading our markets to international standards.  We have to be successful in our mission to make the city a model one in the country.

Chairperson of Health committee Kavitha Sanil, Lancelot Pinto, Vishwas Das and others were also present.