Why Meerut not included in Smart Cities List ? Is it because Meerut is BJP ground and SP is in power?

Smart City project started by central government is project of appreciation as it is the initiative to develop India. Selection process and parameters are the key for the cities selection but there is no parameter as political biasing but Meerut is facing this problem of political biasing as per the rule the state government has to send the list of cities to central but as meerut is the base ground of BJP meerut is not entertained and even qualifying all parameters we are not in the list. No one in India can say that meerut is unknown place as it has name in various epics such as mahabharat,ramayana and also have recorded many historical events. Mangal pandey initiative for Independent India the fire has blown from meerut. Meerut is rich in business sector gold vendors and sports is the famous business that meerut has recorded. Meerut is also the top 8th tax payer among all the cities in India even though meerut is out of the list. Central government should take the initiative to raise question on state government to clarify the reason of not selecting meerut in the list of smart cities.

Meerut is the Largest city in NCR after Delhi. The city lies between the plains of the Ganges and those of the Yamuna. In area Meerut District covers 2,522 km² (974 sq mi), which is larger than Delhi (Delhi covers an area of 1,484 km²[573 sq mi]) Meerut population is 3,443,689, which is three times less than Delhi.

Meerut is one of the important industrial towns of western Uttar Pradesh with several traditional and modern industries. It is traditionally known for handloom works and scissors industry. Meerut was one of the first cities in northern India where publishing was set up during the 19th century. It was a major center of commercial publishing during the 1860s and 1870s.

Meerut is a rich agricultural area with such pockets of land that do not fit in for crop purpose. Being in the proximity of Delhi, it is ideal for industry. It is home to 520 micro, small and medium scale industries. As of August 2006, Meerut has about 23,471 industrial units, including 15,510 small-scale units and 7,922 cottage industries.

Meerut has shown healthy numbers in terms of revenue generation. In 2005–06, Meerut occupied the fifth slot and contributed Rs 10,306 crore to the direct tax collection. It slipped to number six in 2006–07 when the revenue collection at Rs 11,203 crore was 18% lower than the target of Rs 13,627 crore. According to statistics compiled by the Income Tax department, Meerut contributed a Rs.10,089 crore to the national treasury in 2007/08, overall it was ranked 9th outperforming Lucknow, Jaipur, Bhopal, Kochi and Bhubaneshwar.

According to the 2011 census, the Meerut Urban Agglomeration (including the area under the Municipal Corporation and the Cantonment Board), has a population of around 1.4 million, with the municipality contributing roughly 1.31 million of it. This makes Meerut the 33rd most populous urban agglomeration and the 26th most populous city in India. The sex ratio in Meerut is 888, lower than the state average of 908; while the child sex ratio is 847, lower than the state average of 899. 12.41% of the population is under 6 years of age. The overall literacy rate is 78.29%, higher than the state average of 69.72%. Meerut has a crime rate (total cognizable crimes under IPC per lakh population) of 309.1, higher than the state average of 96.4 and the national average of 196.7.

According to the 2001 census, the city ranked 2nd in terms of population in NCR and 25th in India.

Tourist destinations in and around Meerut include:

• Jain temples of Hastinapur – Located on the banks of old ravine of Ganges, Hastinapur is considered one of the holiest places on earth by Jains. It is believed to be the birthplace of three Jain Tirthankaras. There are many ancient Jain temples in Hastinapur. Shri Digamber Jain Mandir, Jambudweep, Kailash Parvat, Shwetambar Jain Temple are the main and famous temples in Hastinapur. Apart from Jain temples, Pandeshwar temple, Historical Gurdwara and Hastinapur Sanctuary are worth being seen.
• St. John's Church – This church was established by Chaplain the Reverend Henry Fisher on behalf of the East India Company in 1819 in the cantonment area and was completed in 1822. It is considered one of the oldest churches in North India. The Church was dedicated to the people by Bishop Wilson. It has a seating capacity of 10,000 people. During the war of 1857, this church was the scene of heavy fighting between Indians and the British forces.
• Augarnath Temple – This temple (also known as Kalipaltan Mandir locally) is located at the site where the soldiers of the war of 1857 planned their operations. The temple also houses a memorial built to honor the martyrs of the revolt of 1857, Indian Rebellion of 1857. The old temple has been replaced by a modern version.
• Jama Masjid – The Jama Masjid was built by Hasan Mahdi, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi's Wazir (chief minister) in 1019 AD (older than the Qutb Minar). That makes it the first Masjid in North India. And although it was restored by Humayun, it is one of the oldest Muslim mosques in India.
• Martyr's Memorial (शहीद स्मारक Shaheed Smarak): The memorial is a 30 metres (98 feet) high pillar of marble situated at Bhainsali. Functions are organised at the memorial around the national holidays of India.The memorial complex also houses the Government Freedom Struggle Museum which is dedicated to the first war of Indian independence.
• Gandhi Bagh – This centrally located garden has a very beautiful and serene environment. Locally known as "Company Garden", it has been present since before independence, when it got renamed to its current name. It runs a musical fountain show every evening.The park also houses a small water storage chamber and motor which is noted to have been removed from The Red Fort in Delhi and erected here.Earlier, the garden used to have multiple entrances like the one shown on the right, which were always kept open, and there was no entry fee. But now, only one entrance is kept open and a ticketing system with nominal charges has been put in place.
• Shahpeer's Mausoleum (शाहपीर की दरगाह Shahpeer ki dargah) – This is a Mughal mausoleum erected by the empress Nur Jahanin 1628 in honour of a local Muslim Hazrat Shahpeer. It is a red stone structure that was partly built and is incomplete till date.The tomb is adorned by intricate nakashi (stone painting). There is no roof on the main tomb. People say that Shahpeer was the teacher of Mughal Emperor Jehangir. The tomb is listed by the Archaeological Survey of India as a national heritage monument.
• Shahi Eid Gaah (शाही ईदगाह) – It was built by Nasir ud din Mahmud, the youngest son of Iltutmish, and the eighth Sultan of theDelhi Sultanate. It is about six hundred years old and has a capacity of about one lac people to offer prayers (Namaz) on Eid. There is Nakkashi on the walls of Eidgah which reflect the Sulatani Gulam era.
• Parikshitgarh – The place is associated with and derives its name from King Parikshit of Hastinapur (the grandson of Arjuna). The fort was built by Parikshit and restored by Gurjar King Nain Singh in the eighteenth century.
• Dargah of Baley Miyan (बले मियाँ की दरगाह Bale Miyan ki Dargah) – This dargah was built by Qutb-ud-din Aybak in 1194 in the memory of Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud (known locally as Baley Miyan). An Urs is organised annually at the Dargah during the Nauchandi fair.
• Suraj Kund - This is a pond, built by a businessman Lawar Jahawar Lal in 1714. It is filled with water from the Ganga Canal. It is surrounded by several temples, including the Baba Manohar Nath temple, which is said to have been built during the period of Shahjahan.

मेरठ का हक़ स्मॉर्ट बनना है और वो हम लेकर रहेंगे ।