Govt plan to replicate Smart City work in urban local bodies

On Monday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stated that the administration is thinking about replicating the Panjim Smart City projects in 12 urban local bodies throughout the State, and that this process of creating master plans has already begun.

"At the moment, three urban local organisations are already working on plan preparation. We want to duplicate the efforts being made in these local organisations in Panjim as part of the Smart City Mission. In his talk to the crowd at the opening ceremony of the Smart Cities Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) conference on "Data and Technology," which was hosted at a hotel in Old Goa, Sawant indicated that it might be accomplished within the next 25 years.

He said that a geographic information system (GIS)-based survey has been started by the government in order to give the administration the ability to evaluate the tax efficiency and track unauthorised structures.

All buildings will be subject to taxes, and any revenue leaks will be closed, he promised.

The Smart City Mission has finished over 60% of the work on the city's flood mitigation plan, which includes a flood pumping station at Mala and revitalising the St. Inez Creek, according to the chief minister.

The CEO of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL), Collector North Goa Mamu Hage, reported that of the total 47 projects approved under the Smart City Mission, 15 have been completed and 30 or so are now being carried out by the various agencies.