Mysuru could make it to Smarty City Mission this year

MYSURU: After several pleas from the state government, the Centre may soon agree to include Mysuru in the Smart City Mission (SCM) project this year.
Mysuru, which missed the project in the fourth round of selection as it did not meet some parameters, is likely to be included this round.
Sources in the state urban development department said a proposal for the inclusion of Mysuru along with Kalaburagi, Vijayapura and Ballari in the Smarty City Mission was sent to the Union ministry of urban development.
Davanagere, Belagavi, Tumakuru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Shivamogga, Mangaluru and Bengaluru have so far made it to the list over the years.
Under the scheme, the selected cities will receive Rs 500 crore each from the central government and a matching grant from the state for several initiatives.
Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) commissioner Gurudutta Hegde told TOI that MCC has been making all efforts every year for the city’s inclusion in the project. It was prevailing upon both the state and Central governments after the project was launched, five years ago, he added.
Though MCC had bagged the clean city award, five-star status for garbage management twice and won many other awards for better civic management and administration, Mysuru could not join the Smarty City Mission.
“I hope the city is be included in the project this year. MCC had provided all the details smart city mission parameters including its mobilization of resources, internal resources gathering, service capabilities management, number of individual toilets per household, public participation in the development of the city, audited account details, utilization of government funds, self-financing capacity and other details”, he said.