It comes as no surprise that that Panjim did not make it to the list of 20 cities selected for the first phase of funding under the SMART City plan.
While the intent was positive, the CCP and the political class, all the while saw it as a race for a chunk of central largese, and not as a helping hand to help itself. CCP and Goa for that matter was not willing to put its hands up and decide to put in and/or raise funds.
CCP has failed to understand the SMART city template. It involves the following parameters 1) Planning in consultation with stake holders 2) A new template of corporate-style governance 3) Most importantly, a new template of corporate-style fund raising to ensure that the plan isn’t only about an initial cash injection by the centre but the beginning of a new idea whose time has come. The idea is not to just make it to the list but have a system of city planning which is sustainable and self financed.
Without being critical it is time to see perhaps, how CCP and the Goa government did not quite get right and what they must do now to make it to the second batch of cities.
a) The selection of a consultant, a JV of Infosys along with ISLEI and Administrative Staff College was a blunder. GSIDC pre-selected the consultant when EGIS, CRISIL, AECOM, LEA ASSOCIATES, SREI, DARASHAW was recommended by the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) as short-listed consultants. It’s an open secret how consultants are selected by GSIDC for other projects including Imagine Panaji project (LKS Consultant).
2) Mr Siddharth Kunkolienkar as MLA of Panjim and Vice Chairman of GSIDC should have co-ordinated between the State, the Directorate of Municipal Administration, CCP and the Citizens of Panjim to make a winning proposal. But lack of knowledge and understanding about the subject as well as the narrow approach of excluding experienced local architects, urban planners and financial experts has led to a below par preparation of the Smart City Proposal. So the MLA of Panjim is equally responsible for the defeat in the first round.
3) The citizens connect was attempted but not followed. It is important for Panjim residents to also realise that this is their city and they need to buy into the idea as a whole. At present there is a group of enlightened individuals who have made a lot of informed suggestions. They need greater support and participation of people and ensure that there is mass of suggestions to build a momentum.
At the same it is high time that State Government should shift its focus from Panjim to other towns in the State like Margao, Vasco, Mapusa, Ponda so that infrastructure and quality of life will be better in other cities of the State.
So the way forward is to reboot and pitch with clarity that making Panjim or any city SMART is the city’s prerogative, not the union government’s.
