'Lapses studied to include Panaji in next Smart City list'

Goa government have studied proposals of this year's selected smart cities and identified lapses so that Panaji, which was not included under Centre's Smart City Mission, is chosen in the next list of first 20 cities, a BJP MLA said here today.
BJP legislator Siddharth Kuncolienkar, while talking to PTI, also expressed confidence that the Goa capital would make it to the Smart City list in the next round.
"Goa-government appointed consultant ICLEI South Asia and the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) have analysed the smart city proposals (SCP) of all those 20 cities, which made up in the first phase and have identified the lapses with SCP for Panaji," Kuncolienkar said.

"We have identified the gaps and are trying to overcome it by modifying the SCP, seeking necessary inputs from the winning SCPs," he added.
Deadline for submission of new SCP before the Centre is April 15, 2016.
He also clarified that residents of Panaji will not have to pay any extra tax if the city is picked by Centre under the 'Smart City' plan.
"No additional taxes would be imposed on the Panjim residents as user charges for Smart City Mission. We will ensure that normal person is not affected with the project," the MLA said.