Belagavi’s prestigious CITIIS 2.0 project, approved in 2024 under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, is facing the risk of cancellation or being shifted to Hubballi due to delays in releasing the city’s share of funds.
For more details : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/belagavis-citiis-2-0-project-at-risk-amid-delay-in-bccs-contribution/articleshow/126510491.cms
Under the project, Belagavi is set to receive ₹135 crore to modernise its solid waste management system. As per guidelines, the Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) must contribute 20% of the total project cost by March 2026. However, the delay in depositing the corporation’s share has stalled the tender process.
The Centre has already released ₹7.5 crore for the project, while the BCC, through the Smart City Mission, is required to contribute ₹18.7 crore. Although the corporation passed a resolution over a year ago agreeing to provide the required share, its request for partial state government support was rejected, with directions to raise funds from internal resources.
To address the issue, Mayor Mangesh Powar and Deputy Mayor Vani Vilas Joshi recently held a meeting with corporators and officials to explore options for expediting the funding process.
Kavitha Warangal, Managing Director of Belagavi Smart City Limited (BSCL), stated that at least 20% of the funds released by the Centre must be deposited immediately to proceed with tendering. She warned that failure to float the tender by the end of March could result in the project being shifted to Hubballi.
The CITIIS 2.0 challenge saw participation from 84 cities nationwide, with only 18 selected. Belagavi was the sole city from Karnataka to be chosen, making the project a significant opportunity to upgrade the city’s waste management infrastructure.
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