“The Morning Briefing” is SmartPlanet’s daily roundup of must-reads from the web. This morning we’re reading about urban development projects and funding.
1. ‘Urban projects fail to provide basic services‘. The number of projects undertaken by the urban development ministry for transition to quasi-urban society has not been accompanied by a commensurate increase in the supply of basic urban services, a report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Urban Development said on Wednesday.
2. Council approves nearly $400,000 in block grants. City officials last week approved nearly $400,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funding for 17 area non-profits. The monies will aid victims of domestic violence, provide housing assistance, and help the elderly, homeless and at-risk youth, among others.
3. Kenya: Urban development delays keep nation from dreaming too big. Kenya’s government hopes to turn its nation into a middle-income country by 2030. Some pin their hopes on Konza City and Tatu City. But will construction of the multibillion-euro urban development projects even happen? And, for that matter, can two cities build up one country?
4. Can the Housing and Urban Development Department survive a Romney Administration? Romney may try to abolish the giant department once run by his father. But Miranda Green reports that not even the House GOP has targeted the agency.
5. IBM and Bauman Moscow State Technical University open smarter cities development and education center in Russia. IBM and Bauman Moscow State Technical University (BMSTU) today announced the opening of a Smarter Cities Development and Education Center in Russia – the first of its kind in the region.
