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Bhagwant Mann urges Central minister to include Mohali in Smart City project
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has impressed upon Union housing and development minister Hardeep Singh Puri to include Mohali in the Smart City Project
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday impressed upon Union housing and development minister Hardeep Singh Puri to include SAS Nagar (Mohali) in the Smart City Project for its inclusive development.
Mann, who called on Puri at his office in New Delhi, underscored the need to develop Mohali as a ‘Smart City’. He apprised the central minister that Mohali is part of tricity comprising Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula and holds immense significance. He also said that most of the departments of the state government have their head offices in this city due to which it is imperative to give further fillip to its growth.
The CM said that it is the need of hour to include this city in the Smart City Project for further holistic and planned growth. “Mohali and its adjoining municipal committees like Zirakpur, Kharar, Derabassi and Kurali have witnessed immense growth with the international airport/ presence of educational institutes/ townships and industries,” he said, adding, “The area needs special funding to support planned growth and infrastructure development.”
He also requested the restoration of same ratio of funds under AMRUT 2.0 as was earlier in AMRUT 1.0. Under AMRUT 1.0, Centre and state share was 50:50 for towns in 1 lakh to 10 lakh population category whereas under AMRUT 2.0, the Centre and state share has been revised to 33:67 for towns under the same population category, he said, adding that for million-plus cities like Ludhiana and Amritsar, the ratio was 33:67(Centre and state share) and under AMRUT 2.0, it is 75:25. He said that as these towns are rapidly expanding, they need continuous infrastructure development for which the earlier share ratio must be restored.
