Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu today e-inaugurated Jammu Smart City Skill Development Project and laid e-foundation of four others under Jammu Smart City Mission in the presence of Sh. Jugal Kishore Sharma, MP; Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary, and Sh. Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department.The e- inaugurated Jammu Smart City Skill Development Project is a public-private partnership initiative in association with ICICI Academy for Skills and it envisages skill development of 250 youth per year for guaranteed employment, to begin with. It will be scaled up to skill 1000 youth per year. The building of a non-functional Government Polytechnic has been renovated to house the said Skill Development Academy, which has been equipped with in accordance with world-class facilities. It is the first IGBC certified green building in the UT having its own sewage treatment plant and rainwater harvesting facility.Trainees will be provided with free meals, uniforms, and training material.Mayor, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Sh. Chander Mohan Gupta; Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Sh. Sanjeev Verma; Deputy Mayor, JMC, Adv. Purnima Sharma; Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Ms. Sushma Chauhan among others were also present at the e-inauguration of the services.The Lt Governor also laid the e-foundation of four other projects under Jammu Smart City Mission including the Smart Vertical Garden from below the flyover from Dogra Chowk to KC Chowk, at a project cost of 4.5Cr.; Junction Improvement in 10 significant rotaries/crossings in Jammu City, at a project cost of 16.25Cr; Establishment of 8 Wi-Fi Hotspots within JMC Limits, and Installation of Way Finding Signages conforming to IRC standards at 680 locations.The meeting also reviewed the progress of the beautification of Jammu city. Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Sh. Sanjeev Verma briefed the Lt Governor about the various initiatives taken by government departments and Jammu Municipal Corporation. He informed about the variety of works were undertaken and completed including sanitation drives and face lifting of Yatri Niwas and canal road including the flyover at Bikram Chowk. A total of 1200 plants are being planted in different wards under mega plantation drive to be completed on August 13, 2020.The Lt Governor was also apprised about the campaign to remove unauthorized hoardings at Satwari Chowk, Greater Kailash, and other adjoining areas. He was informed that to date 4500 illegal hoardings have been removed by the JMC and the process is still going on in various parts of the city. New way-finding signage would be installed across the city in a time-bound manner for convenience of commuters, citizens, and tourists under the Smart City Mission.The Lt Governor further called for the removal of encroachments from the city markets, public places, and roads on mission mode, with concerted efforts from the district administration, JMC, and police, adding that retrieved lands should be safeguarded and utilized for beautification and public purpose. He also sought details about the maintenance of parks and gardens in the city and directed for fencing, besides their beautification.