NEW DELHI / AGARTALA, June 24 (TIWN): Launching the execution of smart city project for 20 cities selected in the first round, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will set the plan rolling on June 25 in Pune. The first lot of 20 smart cities will be linked on this occasion through video-conferencing by the Prime Minister. These cities have proposed a total investment of Rs 48,000 crore in area development and pan-city solutions. But doubt remains about Agartala's emerging as a SMART City as the Urban Development Dept. is gripped into corruption under Minister Manik Dey. At the beginning, Manik Dey shown keen interest in SMART City project, but later he backed off due to some unknown reason. Tripura Govt. suddenly showing lack of interest for their ‘Dream-Project’ SMART City plan for which Urban Development Minister, PWD Minister tried their level best to propagate CPI-M’s initiatives. But as soon as the Central Govt. announced that Agartala city has been selected among top 13 SMART Cities, the state govt. showing lack of interest into the project due to compulsion of 50:50 cost sharing on developing infrastructures.When the central govt. announced that the State-Central will share 50 : 50 of the SMART City budget, in a conference Minister Manik Dey told media that the Tripura Govt is unhappy about the 50 percent fund sharing proposal by Centre.

However, the Prime Minister will launch 14 projects under Pune's smart city plan at a programme to be presided over by Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu. Maharashtra Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will also be present on the occasion.

"This marks the beginning of holistic and integrated urban development in the country as envisaged under the new urban missions launched by the government," an official statement said.

Sixtynine other such projects will be launched the same day in other smart cities, entailing a total investment of about Rs 1,770 crore.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate "Make Your City Smart" contest aimed at involving citizens in designing roads, junctions, parks, etc.

Smart Net Portal also will be inaugurated by Modi. The portal enables the cities under different urban missions to share ideas and source solutions for various issues during the implementation of the missions.

Smart Cities Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) were launched by Modi on June 25 last year.

Subsequently, two rounds of City Challenge competitions were conducted to pick up the first lot of 20 smart cities whose projects are being launched on Saturday.

Agartala is far away to fill the definition of SMART city as City lacks basic civic amenities like clear drainage systems, good hospitals, uninterrupted power, high speed internet, law & order.