PANJIM: With Panjim, Margao and Vasco short-listed for the Smart City Mission having to formulate own proposals for the mission, Corporation of City of Panaji Deputy Commissioner Sudhir Kerkar claimed that the State capital has the best chance to garner the status.
Speaking to Herald, Kerkar suggested extending the jurisdiction of the city corporation, claiming that the current area of CCP would cut down the scope of development. He claimed that, extension would get in more funds from the Centre for the project. He assumed that the extension may get Panjim in the top 10 cities out of 100 short-listed cities across India.
He said, “Neighbouring places like Porvorim, Merces, Taleigao and Goa University area need to be incorporated within the jurisdiction of CCP. If there is more area, then more scope of development and also more funds from the Centre. If extension is done then Panjim can come in top 10 cities of 100 cities which are short-listed across India.”
He suggested including government bureaucrats and professionals in the committee which will proceed with new projects under the smart city concept. He said, “Smart city panel shouldn’t be limited to government officers, but should also include professionals such as architects, engineers, historians, archaeologists and persons from the survey department. Inputs from independent experts and government bureaucrats will make the mission successful.”
“The plan should also be thrown open for public suggestions,” he added, claiming this will make it a really smart decision of smart people for Panjim.
So far, no city has been confirmed for the smart city concept in Goa. Though Panjim, Margao and Vasco have been shortlisted of which only one will qualify for the mission. Till now, the government has not prescribed any particular model for the mission; therefore each city has to formulate its own concept, vision, mission and proposal for the smart city that is appropriate for its local context, resource and levels of ambition.
Kerkar said that the free WiFi facility under the smart city concept will bring in connectivity between different government departments which are inter-linked.
Kerkar said, “All the heads of most of the government departments are based in Panaji. Some of them are interconnected, but sadly they lack connectivity. There is no machinery to connect these departments, rather than doing it manually. When Panjim will become a WiFi zone under the smart concept, these government departments will get connected through the WiFi server, thus reforming the administration.”
