The Rockefeller Foundation on Tuesday released the first list of 33 cities to provide technical and financial support to identify and create urban indicators that will make the city resilient to the disasters. The cities have been selected from 400 applicants, including five other cities of India, across six continents. The cities have been selected on the recommendation of a panel of judges from around the world, including former US President Bill Clinton. 

The announcement of the selected cities will be made during The Rockefeller Foundation's third annual Innovation Forum titled, "Building Resilient Cities", to be held at New York on December 4. 

Surat is likely to get a financial aid package for the work that could go up to $1 million for the next three years. Surat has got the nod ahead of other Asian cities for its work in the field of flood mitigation and developing effective end-to-end early warning system for flood forecast, setting up of Surat City Climate Change Trust and setting up of Urban Health Climate Resilience Center to tackle climate change. 

Surat is one of the 10 sister cities of Asian Cities Climate change Resilience Network and has been in the forefront of issues related to climate change in the country.  

Manoj Das, municipal commissioner, said, "It is a proud moment for us. Knowledge-sharing on issues of better environment with elite of the world will help the city in developing strategy to combat climate change and other related issues in future."