Panaji: Destroyed by the delay in the funds allocation and priority of the wrong project, the ambitious smart city mission, seems to have flounded in Goa.
Five years after Panaji was placed in a quick lane into the intelligence based on the planned RS 608.4 crore expenditure, the Ministry of Housing and Urban (Mohua) said that only RS 16.2 Crore had been spent until the 10th of the project, most of them were jobs the beautiful one.
The center also said that seven large ticket projects worth Rs 330 Crore will be given to contractors while two projects worth RS 40 Crore are likely to be tendered in the coming weeks.
The information was given by the Minister of Caushal Kaushal Kishore in a written reply at Rajya Sabha.
When Mohua chose Panaji in the fast Round Track in May 2016, Goa has described an ambitious plan to ratify the Church Square, establishing Wifi Hotspot and CCTV Cameras, revitalizing Lake Mala, making smart parking, smart water measurements,, general cycle sharing systems and trenches Special utility.
However, imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited only managed to carry out beauty projects such as repair measures in Altinho, Mala and other parts of state capital.
The Underground Power Cable Project RS 63 Crore in Ribandar starts at a good speed, but has stagnated because the former Chief Executive Chief of the Swayandipta Pal Chaudhuri was dropped from the post.
One of the main reasons for delays in the implementing project are lethargy by the state government in transferring funds to IPSCDL, which is a special purpose vehicle carrying City City’s mission in Goa.
In August 2019 and June 2020, Mohua wrote to the state government and stated “serious concern” that from the 196 RS Crores released by the center in 2019, the state government had transferred only Rs 118.2 Crores to IPSCDL.
Even worse, until the center stops in Goa, the state has not released a matching grant for the Smart City mission.
The City Smart Mission Scheme requires centers and goa governments to contribute 50% of each of the implementation of project and operating City Smart.
In accordance with the Mohua website, Goa has transferred RS 113 Crore to IPSCDL to date as a part towards Mission City Smart.