Government announces first batch of 20 smart cities

The government has announced the 20 winners of the Smart City Challenge competition for financing during this financial year. Minister of Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu said that the winners were from 11 States and the Union Territory of Delhi and the selection was totally objective and transparent based on standardised processes. Bhubaneswar tops the list, with Bhopal at number 20. Twenty cities propose an investment of Rs.50,802 crore over five years, resorting to the PPP mode. An area of 26,735 acre have been identified for making the 20 cities smart.