Reportedly, innovations in smart city projects have improved people’s standard of living
India is determinedly riding the wave of urbanization with its ambitious and revolutionary Smart Cities mission. Launched in 2015, the mission undertakes the renewal and retrofitting to transform them into hubs of growth and prosperity. The aim was to raise living standards in 109 of India’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas whose population is projected to increase to 590 million by 2030 and is developing at a break-neck pace. By efficiently and effectively tackling infrastructure management and service delivery challenges, the urban areas are expected to accommodate 40% of India’s population and contribute 75% to the GDP by 2030.
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Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Tuesday asked for insights into the kind of facilities and projects to be made available under Smart City Mission (SCM) at both Srinagar and Jammu. He said the facilities and infrastructure being raised under this mission ought to be maintained properly to reap benefits accruing from them continuously.
Taking appraisal of the operational preparedness of all the ongoing and completed projects of the Smart City Mission in the twin cities of Srinagar and Jammu, the Chief Secretary told both the CEOs of JSCL and SSCL to look into raising assets that would make the operation and maintenance of such assets durable and long-lasting. He called for working out a model after properly analyzing the recurring expenditure to be made on such projects of public use. He asked to find the resources that would sustain these projects for posterity.
Read more: IN: Jammu and Kashmir: Smart City Mission: Look into raising assets: CS to JSCL, SSCL
The Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL), which executes the smart city projects here, has started installing new smart iconic traffic posts that are equipped with facilities such as fans, lights, mobile charging points and more.
The installation of the new traffic post has been going on simultaneously at 25 locations, including Master Canteen Square, Saheed Nagar Square, Ravi Talkies Square, Kalpana Square and BJB Nagar Square, among others.
In a commendable achievement, Ranchi Smart City has secured the second position among the 100 smart cities across the country, as per the rankings released by the Central Government. Ranchi earned a remarkable 324.48 points out of 350, showcasing its notable development initiatives. The rankings, based on overall performance, were officially released on Thursday.
Jharkhand’s capital city fell just short of the top spot, with Surat city in Gujarat securing the first position with 335.79 points. The rankings reflect the comprehensive efforts and achievements in urban development and smart city initiatives.
Read more: IN: Jharkhand: Ranchi secures second position among 100 smart cities in national rankings
In June 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Smart Cities Mission (SCM), which identified 100 cities that need infrastructure improvements as well as a clean, sustainable environment. Over 7,800 projects were supported through the Smart City Mission with the goal of facilitating economic growth and improving quality of life in selected cities.
Gone are the days when India’s progress was measured by only its metropolitan cities, their infrastructure and employment rate. Now, modern India is rewriting the past with a digital upgrade that not only promises to be more sustainable, impactful, connected and seamless but is also looking to set an example for the world through its tier2 and tier3 cities which are scripting the country’s future. Surat, Indore and several other Indian cities are following suit.
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