IFC keen to develop Vijayawada as smart city

International Finance Corporation (IFC) has come forward to develop Vijayawada as a smart city.

A delegation of IFC led by Vivek Pathak, director for Asia-Pacific, on Wednesday called on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who asked it to give advisory services to the government and suggestions on capacity building.

Naidu explained to IFC executives about the potential for tourism and sought advice on managing cities and towns, said a statement from the Chief Minister's Office.

The delegates informed Naidu that they had done the Buddhist circuit for Bihar and offered to share the business model with the government of Andhra Pradesh.

The IFC, which is part of the World Bank Group, focuses on PPP-mode infrastructure models and on smart cities.

The chief minister sought their suggestions on redefining urban management, on traffic management in urban areas and asked them to advice on converting 110 municipalities in the state into liveable towns.

Explaining the advantage of a long sea coast and the availability of abundant water, Naidu asked the IFC executives to prepare plans on creating water and aqua sports facilities.

The IFC is keen to finance and bring in private investor for roof-top solar and waste-water management, the statement added.