Rs. 2.04 lakh crore to be allocated under the Smart Cities Mission to meet the rising demand of urbanisation- Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Smart Cities Mission is central to the overall strategy to accommodate the massive urbanisation that is expected in the future. The Government’s mission to develop smart cities opens up massive opportunities for contribution from various organisations, thinkers, technology providers, etc. 99 cities have been selected as part of the Smart Cities Mission, with a total allocation of INR 2.04 lakh crore to be utilized for multiple projects. 

Speaking on this at 4th Smart Cities India 2018 Expo in New Delhi today Durga Shanker Mishra (IAS), Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said, “The concept of smart cities is not simply about integrating technology into urban infrastructure, but about improving the overall quality of life of citizens residing in the country. The Mission aims to undertake a complete urban transformation to meet the demands of more than 50% of the population which is expected to reside in cities by 2050. Since the launch of the Smart Cities Mission, we have flagged off projects worth INR 2.04 lakh crores towards developing urban infrastructure and living spaces for more than 90 cities that have been selected for the mission.” 

C R Chaudhary, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry also present on the occasion stated, “Being involved with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, it fills me with great hope when I see new-age start-ups and entrepreneurs contributing towards the development of new technologies that can help us solve key problems in the country. These young men and women, with their ground-breaking ideas and extraordinary vision, are making great strides with smart and innovative technology-driven solutions. Hence, I believe that it is these start-ups and businesses that will play a key role in helping the Government and institutions in realising the goal of transforming India into a smart and sustainable country.”

Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare too affirmed, “The Government’s goal is the holistic development of the nation, which we believe must start with our villages and cities. Smarter villages and cities can not only help in providing higher quality of basic infrastructure such as health and education, but also create job opportunities for marginalised sections of the society and uplift them.”

H.E. Daniel Carmon, Ambassador of Israel to India, highlighted, “While each country across the world faces unique challenges, they also possess a diverse set of competencies and tools. No country has all the solutions, but with the combined abilities of these various tools and diverse intellectual capital, we can work together to build a better world. Israel has contributed immensely to the world by providing various nations with tailored technologies to meet diverse challenges, and I’m proud to see our technological partnership with India reaching new heights.”