NEW DELHI: 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.
"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.
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.
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.
Sixty-nine 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.