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In an exclusive interaction with <span style="font-weight: bold;">CW, Ibrahim Adoor, Managing Director, Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development &amp; Finance Corporation (KUIDFC),</span> describes how the state is looking beyond Bengaluru as far as the IT sector is concerned, at pockets like Mysuru, Hubli and Mangaluru. He shares more with<span style="font-weight: bold;"> SHRIYAL SETHUMADHAVAN and RAHUL KAMAT...<br /> <br /> What are KUIDFC's plans to make Karnataka a smart state and a better urban-developed state of India?</span><br /> Karnataka has seven cities that come under the Smart Cities mission and the state has had a head start in the urbanisation as well as IT initiatives. Several projects under smart cities have already been implemented. To further accelerate the IT initiative and urban development, a command and control centre (CCC) has been set up and several other measures have been taken up. We will be improving our services further; the system is in place and in another three to six months, there will be drastic development and change in the state's urban development.&nbsp; <br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tell us about a major project coming up in the state.</span><br /> Speaking of urban development, Bengaluru city has always been in the forefront, especially in solid waste management and lake development, among others. Under smart city, we are taking up the market and Shivaji Nagar areas, and are looking at improving the quality of life of the people in the city.<br /> <br /> Also, there are two towns in Karnataka that are attracting a lot of movement. In terms of the IT initiative, Mysuru and Hubli have taken a big lead and Mangaluru is also picking up. North Karnataka is witnessing much of the development as well. Belgavi has come up and Hubli has cycle tracks. Each town has been attracting distinct types of crowds.<br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">One challenge for KUIDFC is taking care of 276 municipal corporations and looking after the city's progress...</span><br /> KUIDFC is in its silver jubilee year. We have been monitoring and controlling all the externally-aided projects - the World Bank Scheme and the Asian Development Scheme. We have successfully implemented schemes in Mysuru and Bengaluru. We have been implementing the 24 x 7 water supply scheme. Hubli, Belgavi and Gulbarga are already almost one-fourth through with the 24 x 7 water supply scheme, and another 25 towns are working on it, which is expected to be completed by 2018. This will revolutionise the urban life in cities across the state. Apart from that, we are focussing on solid waste management, and are now converting solid wastes into resources. We have taken up this initiative in four towns - Mysuru, Hubli, Dharwad and Gulbarga. <br /> We are also converting the street lights into smart lighting.<br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">How do you look at private participation? </span><br /> The objective of smart cities is to get the main investment contribution from the private sector, apart from investments from the centre and the state. The area that we are gearing up is the commercial complex, which has traditionally been a PPP project. We are also focussing on bus terminals, river front development in Shimoga and sea front development in Mangaluru. Further, we are planning to introduce canal and rooftop solar lighting. In terms of PPP, these are the areas we have prioritised. Karnataka has a good track record of law and order and positive bureaucracy, and I am expecting a lot of attraction from the private sector. We have just floated the tenders in the PPP projects and are expecting response in a month or two.<br /> <br /> To share your views, write in at [email protected]<br />