Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu has set up city-wise task forces for drawing concrete action plans for development of Ajmer, Allahabad and Visakhapatnam as Smart Cities.
The Task Force will have representatives of the ministries of Urban Development and External Affairs, respective state governments and cities and the United StatesTrade Development Agency (USTDA), said a senior Urban Development Ministry official.
The Task Force will have representatives of the ministries of Urban Development and External Affairs,
respective state governments and cities and the United States Trade Development Agency (USTDA), said a senior Urban Development Ministry official.
The task forces has been set up by the Urban Development Ministry in pursuance of the decision taken at a meeting that took place between Naidu and the US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker on January 25.
In that meeting,USTDA and three respective state governments had signed Memoranda of Understanding for cooperation in developing Ajmer, Allahabad and Visakhapatnam as Smart Cities
Earlier, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, the US had offered to assist India in developing Ajmer, Allahabad and Visakhapatnam, as Smart Cities.
The Task Force on Ajmer comprises Divisional Commissioner, Ajmer (Chairman), Secretaries of Town and Country Planning and Municipal Affairs in Rajasthan government, District Collector of Ajmer, Administrator ofUrban Improvement Trust, Ajmer, Municipal Commissioner of Ajmer, Mayor of Ajmer besides Joint Secretary of Union Urban Development Ministry, and representatives of Ministry of External Affairs and USTDA.
Allahabad Task Force comprises Divisional Commissioner(Chairman), Secretaries of Town and Country Planning and Municipal Affairs in UP government, District Magistrate, Vice-Chairman, Allahabad Development Authority, Mayor of the city besides Additional Secretary (Urban Development), Government of India and representatives of Ministry of External Affairs and USTDA.
The Task Force for Visakhapatnam will be headed by Secretary (Town and Country Planning) in Andhra government,Secretary (Municipal Affairs), District Collector, MunicipalCommissioner, Vice-Chairman, Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority, Mayor of the city, Joint Secretary (Urban Development), GOI and representatives of Ministry of ExternalAffairs, Indian Navy and USTDA.