After being “little bit urban” under Jawaharlal Nehru Urban renewal Mission ( JNNURM) many same cities are now ready to be SMART under PM Narendra Modi’s Smart Cities scheme. And off course Pune and Pimpri Chinachwad are no eception to that.PM Narendra Modi has squashed JNNURM and started the smart city scheme where the Centre and state will fund some amount remaining will be contributed by the chosen cities. There are some guidelines framed for cities to be smart under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)
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| Photo Courtsey https://www.sunstonecommunication.com |
The smart city mission will focus on water supply, sewerage
facilities and sewage management, storm water drains to reduce flooding,.
pedestrian, non-motorized and public transport facilities, parking spaces, and
enhancing amenity value of cities by creating and upgrading green spaces, parks
and recreation centers, especially for children.
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| Photo Courtsey kannanranji.wordpress.com |
Public information, grievance redressal, electronic service
delivery, citizens’ engagement, waste to energy & fuel, waste to compost,
100% treatment of waste water, smart meters & management, monitoring water
quality, renewable source of energy, efficient energy and green building, smart
parking, intelligent traffic management system are the key areas that are to be
improved under smart city mission.
The Central government had invited proposals from cities
who want to be a part of smart cities mission. The cities were supposed to send
proposals after consulting people . However Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)
being already smart, it sent an invitation to some "smart"
activists and NGO’s to give consent for smart city proposal. PMC sent the
invitation on 8th July (Evening) and convened the meeting on 9th July i.e
very next day at 11 A M .
The names of participants are not known. However, former
Major General and President of Nagrik Chetna Mach refused to be “PMC Smart”
activist or NGO. The reasons he gave
for declining to attend were 1) The invitation for the meeting received very
late and it is not possible to attend the meeting at the 11th hour 2)
PMC hasn’t shown any proof whether it
has the capability of making Pune a Smart City as PMC has failed in public
transportation, water supply and solid waste management. PMPML has failed
because of PMC does not give the promised fundsand PMC has also failed in
completing any project as per the rules and regulations. 3) How the funds
under JNNURM were spent known to all.
However PMC sent proposal to state government. Meanwhile
Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation also sent proposal to be part of Smart
cities. PMC at least did a farce of public participation, PCMC didn’t even bother
to ask or consult anybody. Now state government has sent PMC and PCMC”s
proposal together to central government
Smart city means a city equipped with basic infrastructure
to give a decent quality of life, a clean and sustainable environment through
application of some smart solutions. However as the new generation’s life
revolve around smart phones most of suggestions given are related to mobile applications.
For them being smart means only use of smart phones and mobile apps. PMC is to
be blamed for this to happen because they didn’t provide background material to
citizens before inviting suggestions. Unless
basic infrastructure is not improved improved mobile apps or computer can do
nothing.
As far as many municipal officers are concerned they use
computers as typewriters only. If you send them email they take printout and
process it manually, for them that is the height of e governance. Anyways,
fortunately app lovers haven’t sent proposals for online games, casinos, discotheques or pubs as new generations need. For detail suggestions visit http://punesmartcity.in
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