AGARTALA, Jan 30 (TIWN): The much talked smart city project collapsed after Agartala was not enlisted into the first top 20 smart cities in the country. Expressing displeasure over the decision of the central government, state Urban Minister Manik Dey on Friday sent a letter to Union Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu for not announcing Agartala among the first top 20 smart cities of the country. Talking to TIWN correspondent, state Urban Minister Manik Dey said that the state condemn the decision of the central government over not enlisting Agartala in the first top 20 list of Smart city. He further said that protesting over the decision of the central government; the state government has forwarded a letter to Union Development Minister M Venkaiah for not announcing Agartala in the top 20 list of Smarty city.It is to be mentioned here that Union Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has announced the list of first top 20 smart cities which will receive the fund by the government for the development of selected smart cities across India.

The most ambitious 100 smart cities project was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year on 21 June 2015.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched his dream project of building 100 Smart Cities in 2015, when the Cabinet chaired by him approved of Rs 48,000 crore out lay to be spent on the project over the next five years.

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.

The government plans to build these smart cities by 2022 to help accommodate its swelling urban population, which is set to rise by more than 400 million people to 814 million by 2050.

The cities are competing on a variety of matrices, including urban reforms and their plan of action in four key areas -- Swachh Bharat, Make in India, good governance (modern accounting system, rationalisation of property taxes) and e-governance.