Smart City for J&K: Clearing the Mist

The Union Ministry of Urban Development (MOUD), which shepherds the Smart
City Initiative, recently released a list of 98 smart-city-candidates that were
shortlisted by state governments from across the country. Unexpectedly, no city
from Jammu and Kashmir figures on the list. Worse, the process of shortlisting a
city from the state seems to have taken on a regional-political colour and the
discourse on it a largely rhetorical tone. This is rather unfortunate, as the policy on
smart cities is designed on twin pillars of competitiveness and objectivity.
In India, the subject of urban development is allotted, in the 12th Schedule to the
constitution, to Urban Local bodies (ULBs) such as municipalities. It is municipalities
that are expected to play a flagship role in urban development. The union and state
governments are, in this constitutional scheme, envisaged to have a minimal role.
However, given the financial and capacity lacunae at the level of most ULBs in India,
the union and the state governments have to step in to the work of urban
development. Also, fundamentally, ULBs are a tier of the countrys federal polity
scheme which aims at decentralization of power and participation of people at
grass root levels.
Seen thus, smart cities are not a push from above. They reflect the aspirations of
the citizens of a city and various urbanization challenges faced by them. In the
milieu of cooperative and competitive federalism, no higher power is allotting
smart cities to any state. Cities, their citizenry and local bodies, must compete and
earn the opportunity to upgrade to smart city status. The union and state
governments will only lend a helping hand, howsoever required. For instance, in
the smart city initiative, the Union and the state governments are collectively
contributing around 2 billion rupees as paid up capital to each smart citys Special
Purpose Vehicle (SPV), providing technical assistance and facilitating handholding
by various agencies such as the World Bank and the United Nations.
Many have called meagre and inadequate the allocation of just one smart city slot
to J&K. But is it? To understand this, a quick analysis of smart city slot allocations
at the national level will help. Let us consider a juxtaposition between Tamil Nadu

and J&K. Tamil Nadu, geographically much smaller than J&K, has been allocated
twelve smart cities against J&Ks one. So, what explains the discrepancy?
Allocation of smart cities to each state is based on a mathematical formula that
gives equal weightage to a states urban population and number of statutory
towns. As per the 2011 census, J&Ks urban population is around 3.4 million and
the number of statutory towns is 86. By the same census, the urban population of
Tamil Nadu is around 34 million and the number of statutory towns is 721.
Back of the envelope calculations on these numbers will show that given Tamil
Nadus 12 smart city allocations, allocation to J&K is true to the math. All we need
is to bear in mind that this formula measures the level of urbanization in a state. In
addition, by design, it does not factor in the backwardness of a state. No wonder
that all special category states including J&K, Assam, Uttarakhand have been
allocated only one smart city slot.
In recent times, the discourse on which city to nominate from J&K for the initiative
has seen such vitriolic statements being made that reek of sub-regionalism. Anyone
interested in the smart city shortlisting process will know that the process is as
objective as it gets.
As per the policy statement of the smart city initiative, State Governments are
required to shortlist their cities for future rounds based on pre-determined MOUD
formula. This formula, using quantifiable parameters, measures:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Existing service levels (25 points)

Institutional capacities (15 points)
Self-Financing ( 30 points)
Past Track Record. (30 points)

These super-parameters are constituted of sub-parameters that are a tad tedious

for reproduction here but are truly objective and quantifiable. These parameters
are shaped as an algorithm that requires the state governments to merely punch
in the numbers for each city and at the end of it compare the scores. The city that
scores the highest gets shortlisted to the next stage. The recent 98-city list is an
output of this process.
This set procedure envisages that the algorithm throws up a clear winner, in sua,
and that the state governments have a non-discretionary role in the short-listing

process. That said, a decision on shortlisting a city from J&K, whenever it comes,
should not be viewed through the prism of partisanship by anyone.
Some have suggested that following the last years disastrous floods, the smart city
initiative could be a blessing in disguise to rebuild the infrastructure in Srinagar and
that Srinagar should be shortlisted. Although an appealing idea, the current policy
does not envisage shortlisting cities based on such considerations. If anything, the
policy seems to be inclined towards taking up already better performing cities so
that these can be upgraded quickly as smart cities. These first rung smart cities are
intended to be templates for the second iteration of the smart city initiative that is
to follow in the future. Pitching out of turn for any city will require an exemption at
policy level.
The entire process of making of a smart city under this forward-looking initiative,
as has been examined, is highly objective, rational and in resonance with the
realities of urban development in India. Attaching any ulterior motives to the policy
is unfair and unwarranted.
As per the data recently released by the union Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation, in 2014-15 J&K ranked among the bottom five states, by GDP (at
Constant 2004-05 prices). The growth rate during this period was actually negative.
That represents a sub optimal economic performance. Considering that other data
on urbanization at national level suggests a positive correlation between
urbanization and economic growth, a smart city in J&K, as an agent of urbanization,
will certainly show the way towards growth and prosperity.
Let not petty differences derail it for us.