Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government opted to exclude Union Ministers from the inauguration ceremony of K-SMART, a software implemented with central assistance. Today’s event in Kochi witnessed the absence of representatives from the Central government, sparking allegations that the exclusion was a deliberate move to portray the project as solely belonging to the state.
The K-SMART software was developed with a Rs 25 crore allocation from the funds earmarked for the Cochin Smart Mission by the Central government, channeled through the Information Kerala Mission. This collaborative initiative involves both the Local Self-Government Department and the Information Kerala Mission. Despite being a project funded by the central government, the decision to omit central representatives from the inauguration has raised suspicions of the state attempting to claim sole credit for the endeavor.
The Smart Cities Mission, a joint effort between the Central government and State governments, aims at urban renewal and retrofitting to create citizen-friendly and sustainable smart cities nationwide. In Kerala, the project is being executed in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
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