Modi's 'Smart City' idea is passé, Chhattisgarh's big plan - 'Super Smart City' Bhilai

Bhilai's prestige is set to get enhanced further with the setting up of the Indian Institute of Technology this year.

Raipur/Bhilai: The Chhattisgarh government under Dr Raman Singh has started work on an ambitious project that aims to rival the Narendra Modi government's ambitious urban renewal project under which 100 cities across the country will be developed as smart cities.

Dubbed the Super Smart City Plan (SSCP), the aim of the project to develop Bhilai in tandem with Raipur and Bilaspur – they have been included in the Smart City project.

Bhilai, part of the Durg-Bhilai urban agglomeration, is one of the leading industrial cities in India. Home to the Bhilai Steel Plant, Bhilai has in recent decades also earned a name for itself as an education hub.

With around two universities, 20 engineering colleges, a medical college, two dental colleges and hordes of thriving entrance coaching centres, Bhilai is firmly on the education map of India. The city's prestige is set to get enhanced further with the setting up of the Indian Institute of Technology this year.

Super Smart

The big innovation being tried out by the Chhattisgarh government with the Super Smart concept is that the funding for the mega project will be primarily funded by Bhilai Municipal Corporation’s own resources.

Also, the centralisation of centrally funded schemes like Clean India Mission, AMRUT mission and Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana is also a novel feature of the plan. This will help in focused development of the city.

The state government has also sought ideas from the people of Bhilai on what they think needs to be done to develop the city as a modern futuristic city.