Protest rallies, dharna in Cuttack over 'smart city' row

For the second day today rallies, dharanas and protest meetings were held across the city demanding Cuttack's potential as a 'smart city' be appreciated.
While Congress corporators staged a dharna during the monthly council meeting of the civic body, the BJP leaders held a protest meeting in front of the office of the district collector on the day.
The state government had decided to recommend the names of Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, Berhampur, Sambalpur and Cuttack as the potential cities to be included as Smart Cities whereas the Union ministry of Urban Development invited the names of only two cities.
Students of various colleges and lawyers of different courts in the city, including that of the Orissa High Court had held rallies and protest meetings earlier in protest against alleged neglect of the city.

Holding placards, Congress corporators squatted in the middle of the council meeting alleging that the city mayor and the civic body commissioner failed to project the city's image in a proper manner.
"While more than 70 percent of national fund under JNNURM component was utilised in 2013, the same was not reflected in the project report of the CMC for which Cuttack got 'nil' , alleged a Congress corporator.