Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has welcomed Centre’s decision to include Srinagar and Jammu cities into the list of Smart cities to be developed under the Smart City programme on modern lines.The decision to include the two cities in the list of Smart cities was announced by the Union Minister for Urban Development, M. Venkiah Naidu at New Delhi yesterday.In a statement issued here today, the Chief Minister described the decision of historic significance which would herald a new era of planned, futuristic and eco-friendly development of the two capital cities. She said with the inclusion of the two cities of the State into the list of Smart Cities a big promise of the PDP-BJP coalition Government stands fulfilled.
The Chief Minister directed the concerned Departments of Housing & Urban Development to start working in fast mode for implementing on ground the Smart City projects in the two cities in order to give a quality living to its people at the earliest, as promised by the two coalition parties.It may be mentioned here the scheme of smart cities aims to improve the quality of life of people in cities by enabling local area development and harnessing technology, especially technology that leads to Smart outcomes. Area-based development is expected to transform existing areas into better planned ones, thereby improving liveability of the whole Cities. Massive greenfield spaces would be developed around cities to enhance the green cover and also avenues of entertainment and other social activity would be created under the scheme.The scheme would enable cities to use technology, information and data to improve infrastructure and services. Comprehensive development in this way will improve quality of life, create employment and enhance incomes for all, especially the poor and the disadvantaged, leading to inclusive Cities.