Herald: Are you disappointed Panjim has failed to qualify to be amongst the 20 cities that qualified for Smart City?
Sanjit Rodrigues: It is not a failure. The Smart city project would be implemented in three phases. The first phase would select 20 cities and Panjim does not figure in the list. If you have seen the announcement, there have been 23 other cities which have come very close to qualifying and would be allowed re-submission by April 2016. Panjim is one of the cities and has a chance to apply for a revised proposal, failing which we have another chance to qualify in 2016 as well.
Herald: According to you, what could be the reasons why Panjim failed to qualify?
Rodrigues: One of the things which I felt was missing in our proposal was the financial aspect wherein the corporation decided not to fund or raise revenues or not to participate financially in the Smart City proposal. So the work had to be entirely funded by the State and Centre which went against us.
Herald: Does Panjim stand a chance in the second and third phase, if the CCP continues its stand of no contribution?
Rodrigues: Our proposal will not be rejected. It will lag behind. We have already qualified to be amongst the 100. It is about how fast you take off in this race of 100. The financial aspect carried a total of 30 marks which we failed in.
Herald: As the CCP Commissioner did you not impose on the council to change their stand?
Rodrigues: I did, but the CCP Council in this round did not want to talk or discuss the financial aspect.
Herald: What are the reasons for the CCP Council taking such a stand?
Rodrigues: Even though the CCP did not envisage the money in the coffers now, there can be ways and means to generate revenue through user charges, betterment charges and there are various innovative ways of increasing revenue. The city can take enough steps raise revenue. But the council perhaps developed cold feet while discussing the financial options. They met three times but it was very firm not to contribute towards this mission. But the council will have to take a decision sooner or later. They can only postpone it for some more time, so till it is postponed, the result may be the same.
Herald: Please continue….
Rodrigues: The guidelines for Smart City were very stringent and strict. These are the proposals which have a new type of selection, new type of government strategy, adopted by the centre. Sometimes it takes time to percolate it for the people of the lowest tier of democracy to understand what these proposals are all about and I think Panjim had such a case.
Herald: There is a lot spoken that all is not well between you and Mayor Shubham Chodankar. Is this true?
Rodrigues: Not that I know of. I have worked with three mayors and I have had no issues. But if the government wants to change the commissioner, they are free to do so. Not that I want to stay here and I can go anytime they want. But till I am here, I will give my best for the Corporation.
