Govt to announce list of first 20 Smart Cities today

New Delhi: Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu will on Thursday announce the list of first 20 cities to be developed as Smart Cities.

There are 97 cities in the Smart City Challenge, and the names of the first 20 winners of the competition will be announced today.

These cities will be developed to have basic infrastructure through assured water and power supply, sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, IT connectivity, e-governance and citizen participation.

In the subsequent years, the government will announce 40 cities each to be developed as Smart Cities as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan to develop 100 Smart Cities in the country.

Naidu had on Wednesday expressed concern regarding the exploitation of urban spaces by the well-to-do sections of the society at the cost of the poor and the marginalised and stressed on inclusivity while taking decisions related to urban governance.

(With PTI inputs)