AGARTALA, Jan 13 (TIWN): Whereas Tripura Govt never appreciated PPP Model, how it has agreed with Centre’s SMART City Mission with 50 : 50 fund-sharing ? Questions raised after the agreement was done with 50 : 50 sharing of State-Central funds in SMART City project. Can Tripura Govt invest Rs. 1000 crores for SMART City project ? After the State Govt announced that it has agreed with Centre’s SMART City proposal, most important question which raising is that how the poor govt will manage this hefty amount ? Urban Development Minister Manik Dey while talking to TIWN, he said that for the sake of public’s welfare the Tripura Govt has agreed with this SMART City project with 50 : 50 sharing. Dey also added that at the present only the road expansion of roads, footpaths etc.

But just a month back Manik Dey told TIWN that unless the state govt is provided with 90 : 10 sharing the SMART City project is not practically possible. However, observing the election coming near fueled by the roar of protests about CBI inquiry against Rose Valley, Tripura Govt now planning to be nice with the centre. 

On the other hand the massive protests against demonetization by CPI-M against Modi Govt has also fully got downed in Tripura. But question raised how the CPI-M govt will manage the fund in coming days ?

When NITI Aayog Bibek Debroy gave some suggestions to Tripura Govt how to implement Act East Policy, Manik Sarkar reacted by saying Act East Policy is exploiting Northeast whereas PPP is a bogus model. But now the CPI-M govt is planning for begin PPP model based investment.

PM Modi’s Rs. 98,000 crores Urban Development project reels under corruption in Tripura Left-front Era, SMART City mission is also becoming a dream for Agartala. During the budget counter speech he talked about various projects ongoing and also completed project among which Mayor clamed about the almost completion of JNNURM’s Rs. 102.22 crores, which was sanctioned for Storm Water Drainage system.

But in reality there is no sign of proper drainage yet arranged in Agartala city. With a few splash of rain the city dupes into water and water logging till waist, is very common for Agartala City.Whereas Agartala city is aimed convert into a SMART City in future, but it has remained as one of the most ‘Garbage-dumping-ground.

After lot of controversy few states have finally accepted the 50 : 50 deal of Centre / States, which was however denied by NE state Tripura, which is running under backward mentality of Communist Govt, but state’s sudden acceptance has created much controversy among the people here.