IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

States to give choices, Centre to decide by year-end

After celebrity nominations akin to the famous ALS ice-bucket challenge for its Swachh Bharat campaign, and a nationwide contest for an e-governance mobile app for the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the government is going to choose 100 urban centres for its 'smart city' project through a competition.

The proposed 100 smart cities are likely to be selected in three phases

The proposed 100 smart cities are likely to be selected in three phases — 20 this year and 40 each in subsequent years, according to Karuna Gopal, president of Foundation for Futuristic Cities (FFC).

The Foundation is developing a protocol for Indian cities in collaboration with government and corporate entities. Gopal was speaking here on Monday at a smart city round-table, reiterating a pact between India and the Netherlands government.

Even as expectations are high in Puducherry of being selected for Smart City project of the Ministry of Urban Development (MUD), the wait is on for the formulation of detailed guidelines by the Ministry for implementation of the project. Once the Ministry comes out with the guidelines, a project report will be drawn up and submitted to the Ministry, said Chief Town Planner S Raghunathan.

The Ministry, which is gearing up to roll out its ‘100 smart cities’ scheme across the country, is likely to finalise the guidelines for the Rs 48,000 crore mega project shortly, he said. The NDA government’s flagship project got Union Cabinet’s approval at the fag end of April, paving the way for the Ministry to work out details for the selection of cities for the project. Union Minister of urban development Venkiah Naidu had said that the design and creation should be ‘region-specific’ and not a generalised concept as practised under JNNURM. The chosen cities would get a Central fund of Rs 100 crore each year for 5 years.

Shivamogga City Corporation designs plan by consulting archaeologists, architects

The historical Shivappa Nayaka Palace located on the banks of the Tunga here will get a facelift under the Smart City project.

Shivamogga City Corporation has been selected for the project of the Ministry of Urban Development. The palace was said to be constructed during the rule of Keladi king Sadashiva Nayaka in the 16th century. It was earlier used as an office by the Forest Department and was handed over to the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage in 1984. The palace hosts a museum at present and cultural programmes are also held here.

In order to fast-track the implementation of the Smart Cities Mission (SCM), the government will award tenders worth over Rs 2 lakh crore by March next year, as well as finish smart city projects worth Rs 50,000 crore by June 2020, which also marks 5 years of the launch of the mission. Sources said the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will issue tenders for all the projects under the SCM by March 2020. It has already started work in this direction and ministry officials are coordinating with respective cities.

Tirupur, the knitwear hub that is among four Tamil Nadu cities in the latest round of smart city entrants, wants to provide underground sewerage and increase green cover.

Commissioner M. Ashokan said e-governance, better water supply, health and public transport are also on the cards.

The Centre has set the stage for one of the biggest urban renewal programmes to modernise our cities in recent times, with a top government panel approving Rs 2.73 lakh crore to develop 100 smart cities and upgrade basic civic infrastructure in another 500 cities during the next 10 years.

The Centre’s Expenditure Finance Committee, which does the financial appraisal of projects before they go to cabinet cleared Rs 1,00,000 crore for developing smart cities and Rs 1.73 lakh crore for the National Urban Rejuvenation Mission (NURM), that aims at improving water supply, sewerage, drainage and transport infrastructure in 500 cities.

UK offers to help in realising PM Narendra Modi’s vision to create 100 smart cities

India’s smart cities mission is now attracting global attention – with the UK offering to help in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to create 100 sustainable and technologically advanced smart cities across the country.

Lord Francis Maude of Horsham, minister of state for trade and investment launched a report that brought together the very best of what the UK has to offer in delivering smart cities, with an understanding of where it can best support India. Areas of cooperation, the report reveals where US expertise can come into play include physical (infrastructure including mass transport, water, waste management, built environment), digital (ICT, data, software, analytics and smart metering), commercial (professional services, regulatory standards, financing and legal), and social (municipal services, community-led designs and services, e-governance, healthcare), in line with the four pillars mentioned in the Government of India’s draft framework for Smart Cities.

Shri Sinha complimented the 20 winners for coming top in the first round of Smart City Challenge Competition which he said was fiercely contested based on comprehensive evaluation criteria.

The minister said that Indian companies have been associated with the smart cities mission. "It is also the first time that the government is investing funds in urban development on the basis of a competitive selection", an urban development ministry spokesperson said. Union minister of Urban Development said a total of 15.20 million citizens participated in preparation of the ambitious smart city plans at various stages.

GTU which had flagged off the Graduate School of Smart Cities Development (GSSCD), a first of its kind in Asia in this April year will flag off three e-courses shortly.

With government officials across Indian cities rushing to complete ‘smart city proposals’ aimed at tapping Modi government led ‘100 smart cities’ initiative in the next three months, its none other than Gujarat Technological University (GTU) that will look to play mentor to these bureaucrats by way of introducing e-courses on the same.

"10 cities in the state would be developed on the lines of the Smart City programme (of the Union government)," Fadnavis said after inaugurating the Smart City Summit at Kalyan in the district.

"Credible, efficient, transparent, and inclusive planning was the base for (any) smart city. And these cities (to be developed) would be provided with necessary funds," he added.

Taking a major step it its bid to recast the country’s urban landscape, the Union Cabinet Wednesday approved Central government spending worth Rs 98,000 crore under two new urban missions over the next five years.

Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet cleared the Smart Cities Mission — under which 100 smart cities would be built — and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for 500 cities with outlays of Rs 48,000 crore and Rs 50,000 crore, respectively.

With a common perception that the 100 smart cities plan mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would pose some challenges, experts in a panel discussion at Chandigarh College of Architecture said that before looking at this status, cities should also work on improving what they already have in hand - talking in the context of Chandigarh.

"While the smart city is a welcome gesture, it is an irrelevant concept. We are wasting time talking about what's not even there. It will take years to put in place the plans, leave alone passing them," said Mumbai-based Hafeez Contractor at the discussion held on Saturday. "For another 20 years, we will only be talking about smart cities without being able to put the present house into perspective," he added.

New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) or the VIP area of the capital of India had finished 12th in the Smart City Challenge.

On January 28, 2016, 20 cities were chosen through a competitive contest for the government’s urban renewal flagship initiative –– the Smart City Mission. The concept was new –– cities competed with each other and were chosen through a scientific weightage system to “smarten up”.

Five states of the Northeastern region on Saturday signed separate MoUs with the Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL), a central PSU, to develop mechanisms relating to the Smart City projects in those states, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said.

The Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were signed in presence of Puri, the Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, and Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb.

By March 31, 2019, Rs 1 lakh crore worth of work will be under implementation under the Smart Cities mission, ministry sources said.

As many as half of the smart cities' integrated command and control centres are expected to be ready by 2019, Housing and Urban Affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on November 5.

Mizoram State has been a pioneer in cleanliness and sanitation, with observation of cleanliness week since 1977. The community participation, particularly the NGOs in this field is a real example that is worth replication in other parts of the country, says Dr H Lalthlangliana, Commissioner, Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) in conversation with Poulami Chakraborty of Elets News Network (ENN).

Q: What initiatives have you initiated to develop Aizawl as a Smart city?

We have the masterplan for Aizawl Vision 2030 which was approved by the Government of Mizoram in March, 2013. The masterplan has been the guiding factor for all development in Aizawl henceforth. The initiatives toward transforming Aizawl into a Smart City has included aspects such as e-governance for all, safety and security, creation of public spaces (open air theatre, parks, etc) construction of retaining walls in landslide prone areas, etc. Initiatives for development of Aizawl are rather recent.

The ₹10.40-crore rooftop solar panel project was scheduled to be completed by October 30. The ASCL officials, however, now expect to complete the project by December this year.

The Amritsar Smart City Limited (ASCL) has missed the first deadline of installing solar panel project as only 35% of solar panels could be installed atop government buildings since its inception in March.

Grievances lodged through the helpline are being closed without redressal.

The Kakinada Municipal Corporation call centre is not delivering the services promised at its launch. As part of the Smart City project, officials launched a call centre for the benefit of the public to register complaints and grievances in the corporation limits.

Vizag, Kakinada and Tirupati made it to the list of stage I smart cities challenge. The Centre will select 20 cities out of the 98 cities in December based on their master plans.

Not content with the selection of three cities for development under Smart Cities Mission by the Union government, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has decided to transform 13 more cities with the State initiative.

Andhra Pradesh has 13 municipal corporations and of them Visakhapantam, Kakinada and Tirupati made it to the list of smart cities challenge – stage 1- conducted by the Union Ministry of Urban Development in August this year.