SMC signs MoUs with Praja Foundation and Azim Premji Foundation

The Srinagar Municipal Corporation on Tuesday signed memoranda of understanding with Praja Foundation and Azim Premji Foundation for making urban governance more effective and transforming primary school education here.

The MoUs were signed, in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, by Athar Aamir Khan, SMC Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Commissioner; Bijoy Shankar Das, Leader - North Eastern States and Jammu and Kashmir at Azim Premji University and Milind Mhaske, Director Praja Foundation.

The LG said that the MoU between SMC and Praja foundation aims to empower citizen participation through enhanced e-Governance system and capacity building programmes for municipal councilors and administration.

Relentless efforts for good urban governance and sustainability in cities to be further strengthened with cooperation of Praja Foundation, Sinha said.

Transparent and participatory processes in urban governance are important for tapping the vast potential, vitality of cities and higher economic growth. Reforms in urban governance will improve urban infrastructure, urban services to the poor and help the cities to build on their inherent capacities, he added.

The LG underlined the need to create smart solutions, smart platforms to form a link between the public and policies to make the process of rapid change a reflection of the needs and aspirations of the people and develop a new self-understanding.

Reforms introduced by the government in urban governance aim to provide much-needed human and financial resources for improving basic services like drinking water, healthcare, sanitation, housing and better quality of living in the cities, he said.

There is going to be a massive urban transformation in the cities in the coming future, which will improve the standard of living and will also attract new capital investment, he added.

The LG asked the officials of the municipal corporation and other stakeholders to understand these challenges and work accordingly.