Karnataka orders probe into PM's pet Smart Cities project

Urban Development Minister BS Suresha (Byrathi) found that works taken up at Belagavi, Davangere, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mangaluru, Shivamogga and Tumakuru were not satisfactory.

Bengaluru: Urban Development Minister BS Suresha (Byrathi) has ordered an investigation into works worth Rs 5,527 crore that have been carried out under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet Smart Cities Mission in six cities of the state.

Suresha found that works taken up at Belagavi, Davangere, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mangaluru, Shivamogga and Tumakuru were not satisfactory.

Suresha said a committee comprising and officials from universities as well as the Indian Institute of Science will investigate the Smart Cities projects and submit a report within three months. The probe will not cover Bengaluru, which falls outside Suresha's jurisdiction and comes under Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

A hundred cities across India are covered under the Smart Cities Mission, which was launched in 2015. It is funded by both union and state governments.

Till date, a total of Rs 6,405 crore has been spent on seven Smart Cities in Karnataka, which includes Rs 877.72 crore in Bengaluru.

"Most of the works involve road development, drainage and maintenance of parks," Suresha lamented, according to a statement from his office. "The focus should have been on smart schools, hospitals, libraries, bus stands and such permanent infrastructure." Projects under the Smart Cities Mission should have resulted in development of government assets instead of roads and drains, the minister felt.

On average, each Smart City in Karnataka has received Rs 990 crore. Of this, 36 per cent went towards roads, 2 per cent for education, 8 per cent for energy and 2 per cent for healthcare, 5 per cent for sports and so on. "While most works are completed, they are not satisfactory," Suresha said.

The minister noted that the Smart Cities Mission will end in March 2025. "The funds that will be released going forward and whatever is available must be used towards building state-of-the-art, global-level smart schools. This will help children from poor sections of the society learn," he said.

Suresha also said that he has received complaints from elected representatives over quality of works at Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad and Shivamogga