Smart City is no space age but repair work, says minister

Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, April 4 (EMN): Do not expect that the Smart City project will transform Kohima into a ‘hi-fi city’ overnight, a minister has said amid expectations that the city-rejuvenation undertaking just might bring in unprecedented developmental revolution.
The project is simply to improve existing infrastructure to make it more efficient, minister for Urban Development & Municipal Affairs Metsubo Jamir said on Wed.
The minister was addressing a group of media persons after a thanksgiving programme at his residence in Mokokchung town.
According to Jamir, the project is not a drastic change conduit but for improvement of traffic efficiency, landscaping and efficient use of roads, water supply, sanitation, electricity etc. The government of India is providing the funds to improve amenities and facilities, the minister said.
The minister disclosed that the funding for the Kohima Smart City project was arranged in the sharing ratio 50:50 between the centre and the Nagaland government. He said that the centre’s share had been received but the state’s share was ‘yet to be received.’ Nonetheless, he said that the Kohima project had already begun. His department is trying to revamp parking lot areas in the state’s capital for more parking space and to remove the traffic congestion, Jamir said.
On the controversial Nagaland Municipal Act, the Municipal Affairs minister informed that the legislation was currently being revised. Because the municipal election was not conducted, he said. the state was losing a lot of development privileges and opportunities.
Further, the minister asserted that the fund meant for urban development would be used only for the urban areas even though the land belongs to particular villages, in the Nagaland context. Differentiating jurisdiction is very important for smooth implementation of programmes in both the rural and urban areas, he said.
“Developmental fund for rural development is mean for urbanization and not to remain as a village forever,” the former govt. officer assured. In development terms, he said, most of the villages in the state have facilities such as electricity, healthcare, education institutes, roads etc. The only problem is to stop migration to the urban areas to improve the rural economy, Jamir said.