SHILLONG, APRIL 26: The state government has appointed the chief executive officer (CEO) of the special purpose vehicle (SPV) for implementation of the smart city project.
Informing this here on Friday, Urban Affairs Minister Hamletson Dohling said Krishna Trimurti, an urban town planner, has been appointed and he will be joining as the CEO of the SPV next month.
Trimurti was amongst the 20 candidates whose names have been shortlisted by the department for the post.
Dohling said the role of the special purpose vehicle will be to examine and finalise the different projects proposed to be taken up under smart city project.
The minister further informed that the appointment of the project management consultant (PMC) is also in the final stage. Five companies have applied for the PMC.
Stating that the project will be implemented on a 50:50 funding pattern, Dohling said it is very tough and is a big challenge for the state government with the Centre’s decision to give only 50 percent share of the project total cost.
He however said that the government will try its best to explore many options to pull up resources to ensure the smooth implementation of the project.
“We may have to take loan besides taking up some projects on private-public- partnership (PPP) mode,” the minister said.
According to him, the state government on its own will have to spend around Rs 500 crore for the project.
Earlier, the state government had requested the Centre to consider 90:10 funding pattern for Meghalaya.
“However, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in its response to our request maintained that the 50:50 funding pattern is uniform for all the states in the country,” he said.
On June 20 last year, Shillong was selected as the 100th city, the last one to get included under the Smart Cities Mission.
Twenty cities were selected in January 2016 under Smart Cities Mission followed by 13 cities in May 2016, 27 cities in September 2016, 30 cities in June 2017 and nine cities in January 2018.
With Shillong, the total proposed investment in the finally-selected 100 cities under the Smart Cities Mission would be Rs 2,05,018 crore.
In February 2017, the state government had prepared a proposal for the Smart City Mission. According to the proposal, the financial implication for implementing the smart city project for Shillong was worked out at Rs 1,279 crore. Of this amount, Rs 1,272 crore has been earmarked for area-based development and Rs 7 crore for pan-city development.
Work under the area-based development includes sewerage, sanitation, storm-water drainage, redevelopment of ïewduh, the biggest market in Shillong, water supply, public information system and public safety, power, solar lighting, rehabilitation of vendors and development of a market complex at Polo, facilities for street vendors and skill development, smart parking, flyovers, pedestrian pathways, roads, and others.
The projects proposed to be undertaken under pan-city development include smart transport and solid-waste management.
By Our Reporter
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