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Path to Progress.... Smart Cities Mission

by Madhavi Mihir Bhuta (National Executive Member, BJP Mahila Morcha)
Oct 29, 2020
Path to Progress.... Smart Cities Mission, Knowledge, KonexioNetwork.com

Bharat is an ancient civilisation, evolved many thousand years ago. In the early stage of advancement, the development grew near rivers as agriculture was the major source of economic activity. But, with centuries of historical ups and downs due to foreign rule obtrude upon our nation, the equation of prosperity faced severe changes.

Industrialisation was a new avenue for economic activity and it resulted in Urbanisation. Inflow towards Urban areas increased manifold. 

Unfortunately, the strategizing for the necessary civic amenities was overlooked, resulting in unhygienic mushrooming of ghettos on large scale. The gap between privileged and underprivileged class widened nullifying the economic equality.

Narendra Modi Government came to power in 2014, with a vision to give sustainable and equality based governance.

The equilibrium between growth mechanisms for both, rural and urban areas had to be maintained.

Modiji led Government initiated Sansad Gram Yojna and Gramoday se Bharat Uday for rural upliftment and introduced Smart Cities Scheme, for Urban alleviation.

Cities accommodate nearly 31% of Bharat’s current population and contribute 63% of GDP (census 2011). Urban areas are expected to house 40% of Bharat’s population and contribute 75% of Bharat’s GDP by 2030.

This envisions comprehensive development of physical, institutional, social and economic infrastructure. It is essential to provide improved quality of life to people in order to attract them to settle and invest in targeted urban destinations.

Development of Smart Cities is a step in the direction.

The Smart Cities Mission is an innovative and new initiative by the Government of Bharat for urban renewal and retrofitting programme to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life of people by enabling local development and harnessing technology as a means to create smart outcomes for citizens.

This mission is a flagship programme by Narendra Modiji led Government, implanted in 2015, under the Ministry of Urban Development. They are responsible for implementing it in collaboration with the state governments of the respective cities.

The mission initially included 100 cities, with the deadline for completion set for 2019 and 2023.

It is a five year programme in which, except for Bengal, all of the Bharat’s states and Union Territory have been participating by nominating at least one city for the smart Cities challenge.

Financial aid has been granted by the central and state governments to the cities. The result will start showing post 2022.

Each city has created their Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), headed by a full time CEO, to implement the Smart Cities Mission.

“100 Smart Cities Mission” was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 the June 2015. A total of 98,000 Crore was allocated for the development of 100 Smart Cities and the rejuvenation of 500 others. 48,000 Crores have been allocated for the Smart Cities Mission out of total funding. The rest of 50,000 Crores have been allocated for the AMRUT Mission.

The ministry of Urban Development used  the competition based method as a means for selecting cities to be funded. Cities competed at the state level with other cities within the state. Then the state level winner competed at the national level Smart Cities challenge. The cities obtaining highest marks in a particular round, were chosen to be part of the mission.

Smart Cities focus to tap a range of approaches- digital and information technologies, urban planning best practices, public-private partnerships and policy change to make a difference.

In the approach to Smart Cities Mission, the significant objective is to promote and provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of ‘Smart Solution’.

It is a mission with the ‘People First ‘ motto.

Smart Cities Mission strategizes Pan-City initiative in which at least one ‘Smart Solution ‘is applied nation wide.

It develops step by step, impacting on Retrofitting, Redevelopment and Greenfields.

The core infrastructure elements for Smart Cities Mission is provision of adequate water supply, assured electricity supply, sanitation, solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, affordable housing especially for the poor, Robust IT connectivity and digitisation, Good governance especially e-governance and citizen participation, sustainable environment, health and education and safety and security of citizens Particularly women, children and the elderly.

Comprehensive development occurs in areas by integrating the physical, institutional, social and economic infrastructure.

There is a strong complementary relationship between Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT Yojna in achieving Urban Transformation. While AMRUT follows a project based approach, the Smart Cities Mission follows an area based strategy.

Similarly, cities must seek convergence in the SCP with AMRUT, Swacch Bharat Mission (SBM), National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojna (HRIDAY), Digital India, Skill Development, Housing for All, Construction of Museums funded by the cultural department and other schemes connected to social infrastructure such as health, education and culture.

The Smart Cities Mission requires smart people who actively participate in governance and reforms. Citizen involvement is much more than a ceremonial participation in governance.

The participation of smart people enabled by the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) through increasing use of ICT, especially mobile based tools.

On the 7th September 2019, the 10,000 acre Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC) in Maharashtra was inaugurated as the first Greenfield Industrial Smart city of Bharat.

Economic Infrastructure in Smart Cities need to identify their core competence, advantages and potential to generate economic activities to create employment opportunities and economic infrastructure. It includes, developing incubation centres, Skill Development Centres, Industrial Parks and Export Processing Zones, Trade Centres, Service Centres etc. It promotes GDP Contribution, Job Creation, Livelihood Activities and Market Growth.

Institutional Infrastructure refers to Governance of the city. In the current scenario, high quality governance, especially e-governance and citizen participation gear up the activities related to planning and management systems.

It includes Speedy Service Delivery, Security, Taxation, Skill Development, Environmental Sustainability, ICT based Service Delivery, Transparency and Accountability, Institutional Finance /Banking, Citizen Advisory Committee.

Smart Cities are essentially green cities. The aim of Smart Cities Mission is to nurture green solutions to incorporate sustainable economic growth with minimum impact on the environment.

The Smart Cities foster eco-friendly environment.

One of the main missions of providing a sustainable environment for Smart Cities is monitoring and controlling the city pollution.

Smart Cities Mission accomplishes controlling pollution by continuously monitoring these cities using the Internet of Things (IoT) technology to minimise the environmental impact and maximise efficiency.

Smart Cities Mission encourages Public commutes, manufacturing fuel efficient vehicles, energy saving appliances, environment friendly products and stringent industrial and transportation regulations for pollution control have been deployed to prevent pollution generation and reduce Carbon footprint.

Application-driven data is used by both humans and artificial intelligence (AI) by employing combination of low power environmental sensors, wireless network and web and mobile based applications and analytical usage of data for better decisions.

Smart Cities have adopted cleaner urban living spaces to the citizens and to establish this goal, five point hierarchy has been followed.

1. Minimisation and tracking odour from waste generation.

2. Resource reuse wherever possible.

3. Recycling of generated waste.

4. Recovering energy from waste in WtE plants.

5. Proper disposal of waste in landfills and dumpyards.

This is being achieved by deploying electric noses or odour monitoring solutions around the dumpyards landfills.

Naya Raipur in Chhattisgarh is the glittering example of Smart Cities Mission.

Naya Raipur, officially known as Nava Raipur is also known as Atal Nagar.

It is planned to replace Raipur as the state capital in near future.

Naya Raipur is Bharat’s first integrated greenfield Smart City.

Entire city has been covered with GIS mapping along with 128 CCTV cameras, 40 speed detection cameras and 42 number plate recognition cameras. Hence, Naya Raipur has become one of the safest cities in the world.

Naya Raipur is constructed on 8000 hectares of land that is 237 square kilometers. Naya Raipur is situated about 17 kms away from the old Raipur city, adjoining to Swami Vivekananda airport.

Imagine, it’s 6 pm on a pleasant Friday evening and You are bicycling home from work on a tree-fringed dedicated bicycle lane, excited about the weekend ahead. There is no rude honking around or the nasty traffic snarls at the traffic moves smoothly down the 4 lane road. There are no dug up patches or tangled messes of wires above, because everything from electricity to internet, is efficiently networked underground.

Once You reach your home, that is energy efficient and You enjoy 24/7 potable water supply and has every bit of rain water harvested. Also, all the waste water generated by your home is recycled. You also pay for all your utility services through mobile.

As the city is lit up with LED lights, You contemplate your option for the weekend...

The options are, A trip to jungle safari wildlife park or a live Cricket match at one of the biggest stadiums in the world.

All these is not a dream...

This is reality, emerging out of one of the best planned Smart Cities of Bharat.

As the world faces existential crisis in names of Climate change, Naya Raipur has alloyed 27% of its land solely for afforestation and greenery. About five Lakh trees have been planted around the city and a man made jungle safari has been created on 29% of land. Water is conserved through eco-Development project. Natural energy resource Power plant will generate creating electricity, that is strategically important as it would be utilised for consumption in city’s growing population.

Solar energy and Rain Water harvesting are being done on large scale.

Naya Raipur consists of 41 villages renovated with robust facilities like roads, parks and waterlines.

The area named Nalanda has been created into Oxi living hub.

In the middle of the city, 29 acres of land has been turned into green buffer to create Asia’s biggest Man made Jubgle Safari along with wild life.

There are 55 water bodies created.

30% of land in Naya Raipur has been allocated for Residential and Educational infrastructure.

Naya Raipur is the sixth city following Jamshedpur, Gandhinagar,Chandigarh  Cement plant city

Naya Raipur is the sixth city following Jamshedpur, Gandhinagar, Bhuvneshwar, Chandigarh and Durgapur and Navi Mumbai to be built as Cement Plant capital city.

Total of 23% of its area has been reserved for Government n Education infrastructure which has turned into Educational hub with IIT, IIM, Deendayal Upadhyay institute.

30 % of its area is dedicated for Residential and Economic purpose.

Around 100 Government buildings have been constructed.

Unified Common Cinder has been created to monitor implementation of all the programmes.

Potential Natural Energy Resources of the cityhave been explored which in future, will be utilised in creation of power, to be consumed by the city.

Another  glittering example is Noida.

Noida is 25 km away from National capital, Delhi in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of UttarPradesh.

It is in the vicinity of 20, 130 hectares of land.

It is the fastest growing city of Bharat, also known as Mini Japan. Situated on banks of river Okhla, Noida is New Okhla Industrial Development Authority. It’s also considered to be in NCR -National Capital Region.

As part of Smart Cities Mission, Noida is flourishing with High Sky rises and maximum numbers of Entertainment zones. Shopping Malks, Multiplexes, Food courts of world class standards gives city the feel of developed world. Multinational Companies in multiple have created their headquarters in Noida. Samsung, HCL, NDTV, CNN IBN, have their base in Noida.Film Peoduction Companies are also setting up theirs studios and offices in Noida.

With thumping entertainment zone and prospering economic activity, Noida is known as furistic city.

It is well connected by Metro with capital city Delhi. The butter like roads and greenery all around creates serene atmosphere amongst hustle-bustle.

The updated health care centres as well as education institutes are situated in Noida.

All in all it’s a game changer city, a true  picture of Smart Cities Mission.

Dholera, in Gujarat is an upcoming Smart City is combination of Japanese style technology, Singapore like environment and Mumbai similar economic hub.

It is located about 100 kms South of Ahmedabad, on the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.

The site covers an area of about 920 square kilometer of land bordering Gulf of Khambhat.

Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR)is the first investment region designated under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), a joint Bharatiya and Japanese initiative to create linear zone of development along a dedicated freight corridor (DFC) railway line.

The special focus has been allocated on creation of impact city with separation of industrial and city traffic, provision of updated traffic and public transport management, underground laying of various pipelines like Gas, Water, Electricity and Internet, conservation of the better agricultural land, protection of the CRZ, integration of existing villages into the new city.

Total of about 11,661 hectare of land has been allocated for industrial and logistic use in a number if linked mega park, all of which have excellent access to the road and rail network. In addition, substantial additional land is allocated for knowledge based activities such as Universities and research centres.

A wide range of housing types will be developed in the DSIR to meet the anticipated population of 2 million by 2030. About 20 % of the residential land will be allocated for the development of housing for low income groups, another 57% is allocated for medium income income groups and the remaining 13% of housing land is planned for high income groups. All housing facilities will be developed with comprehensive range of community facilities including Schools, medical facilities, neighbourhood retail and open space.

Major hospitals, colleges, Government offices and other community service stations such as Post office, Fire station, libraries and Meeting halls, Parks and Sports venues and a range of religious buildings will be located in the central business district.

Black buck Sanctury, as well as new ventures such as Film City, Recreation Center, Sports and Entertainment zones as well as Eco resorts will be given special approval to nurture Tourism and Resort zone.

The proposed location for the new International Airport just to the North of Dholera will be a major attraction and boost for business in the DSIR.

About 1346 ha of land has been allocated for the development of Solar Energy Park. Gas and Telecommunication networks have also been planned as well as a strategy for Solid Waste Management including Waste recycling.

These are just a few feathers portraying Modi Government’s mammoth development work through Smart Cities Mission.

Upcoming Smart Cities are perfect examples of Naya Bharat, in making.