Hyderabad: The Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, had written to Union urban development minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, requesting to replace Hyderabad in the list of smart cities with Karimnagar city.
Karimnagar the third largest city in the State and also witnesses a large number of tourists each year, from November to February. Now it is included in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Smart City mission programme on Thursday.
Mr Rao had also sought Rs 1,000 crore per year from the Centre as special funds for Hyderabad being a metro city. But the Centre had approved the smart city status for Karimnagar, and kept silent on granting special funds for Hyderabad.
A letter sent by Mr Munish Kumar Garg, director, Smart Cities, to chief secretary Rajiv Sharma stated, “I am directed to your letter dated 7.12.2015, addressed to secretary (Urban Development) and to convey that as recommended by the HPSC meeting held on 7.12.2015, the competent authority has approved the request for inclusion of Karimnagar municipal corporation in place of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation in the smart city challenge.”
Karimnagar MP B Vinod Kumar Welcomed the move and said that the Union Ministry of Urban Development has released `2 crore to prepare a detailed survey report (DSR) of Karimngar town, immediately after making the announcement on Thursday. He also urged the residents, mayor and corporators to join hands in developing Karimnagar.