The Hindu 24.08.2009
Rs.75 crore spent for SmartCity project
Staff Reporter
| Information received under RTI Act |
Rs.18 lakh provided to those displaced for the project
Rs.1.12 crore paid as value of houses pulled down
KOCHI: The State government has so far spent Rs.75 crore through the Infopark for the proposed SmartCity project in Kochi.
The information was elicited from the Infopark by Proper Channel, a Kochi-based NGO, under the Right to Information Act.
Apart from providing land for the rehabilitation of those displaced for the project, the State government had paid Rs.1.68 crore under various heads through the Infopark Kochi.
This included Rs.18 lakh to those displaced, Rs.38 lakh for pulling down their houses, and Rs.1.12 crore as value for their houses, as per the Infopark’s reply on August 14.
Sixty persons had been rehabilitated by allotting land free of cost.
However, the State government had not spent anything on fencing the plot for the project.
Joint venture
This work was carried out by a company named SmartCity Kochi Infrastructure Private Limited, formed as a joint venture between Tecom, the promoters of the SmartCity, and the State government.
The State government’s share in the infrastructure company was 18 per cent, the Infopark statement said.
The Infopark had incurred a total expense of Rs.1.80 lakh in connection with the function for laying foundations of the project.
This amount was not reimbursable by Tecom.
This information was provided in December 2007 in response to another RTI petition filed by the same NGO in November that year.
As much as Rs.1.32 lakh was used for stationary, postage and invitation cards, Rs.26,550 on food and water, while another Rs.21,410 for clearing site for the function, according ot the information.
