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Smart Challenger
´Perform´ or ´Perish´. Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu urged states and urban local bodies to rise to the smart challenge. And, now it does not seem far when the Modi government´s prime motive to enhance urban life will be a living reality. Naidu recently released the list of 98 cities that will be developed under the government´s flagship ´smart cities´ project, that together have a population of 13 crore, accounting for 35 per cent of India´s urban population. Naidu said as many as 24 of the selected cities are capital cities, while 24 are business and industrial centres, 18 are of cultural and tourism importance, five are port cities and three are educational and healthcare hubs. In the release, he has asserted that cities to be selected in the second stage of competition would be provided with central assistance of Rs 200 crore in the first year followed by Rs 100 crore each year during the next three years. With emphasis that the government needs the people´s co-operation to move forward, and Naidu´s clear vision - smart cities need smart people - looks like states are on a spree to grab this opportunity of recasting the country´s overall urban landscape. Although the situation seems ´perform or perish´ for the states and urban local bodies, Naidu´s focused vision and efforts is sure to lead to the smart victory - performance.