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It comes as no surprise that none of Bihar’s city 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 authorities 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. State government here for that matter was not willing to put its hands up and decide to put in and/ or raise funds.
The idea is not to just make it to the list but have a system of city planning which is sustainable and self financed. So the way forward is to reboot and pitch with clarity that making any city SMART is the city’s prerogative, not the union government’s.
What is needed to understand well before targeting Centre or accusing ModiJi of biaseness is the SMART city template.
See, 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.
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 hasb been a major reason that led to a below par preparation of the Smart City Proposal.
The citizens connect was neither attempted nor followed. It is important for residents to also realise that this is their city and they need to buy into the idea as a whole. At present there is not a singl group of enlightened individuals who have made informed suggestions. At this statge the state govt must realise that involvement of citizenss, their support and participation of people is required. Authorities must 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 to smaller towns in the State so that infrastructure and quality of life will be better in other cities of the State on its own.
Amit Sinha is a bilingual columnist. He can be contacted at facebook.amit
