PUNE: The Union government has assured every state that it will get to develop at least one of its cities under the central government’s 100 Smart Cities scheme and the state government is keen on Mumbai’s participation.

Minister of urban development M Venkaiah Naidu recently assured the Rajya Sabha that every state will have at least one city under the programme and the selection process will be initiated after the guidelines are issued to states.

According to state sources, the government is keen on Mumbai’s inclusion. If the Centre allows another city from Maharashtra, the state’s choice will be Nagpur. “The state is pushing for more than two cities and Pune would get a chance only if three or more cities are allowed to be a part of the programme. The state is further trying to balance between regions and is keen to include cities from Marathwada and North Maharashtra,” a state government official said.

The Centre has defined the concept of smart city as “One having provisions of basic infrastructure to give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of smart solutions, keeping citizens at the centre”. The Smart Cities Mission involves ‘an area-based approach’ and it is meant to set examples that can be replicated both within and outside the smart city.

“The process to select cities has not yet started. We have presented Pune’s case to the state and central government. We have also submitted a comprehensive plan on how the city will develop in the future. I am sure that Pune will be one of the participants of the Smart Cities scheme,” city MP Anil Shirole said.

Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, however, was more critical. “There are just announcements. Forget 100 Smart Cities, let the central government develop at least 10 cities,” he said. Chavan said the state was unfair to Pune and focusing on Nagpur for political reasons.

