Urban renaissance taking place in the country: Venkaiah

JAIPUR: Vice president M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said an urban renaissance was taking place in India with increased realisation among the people about culture, tradition, rule of law, transparency, accountability and innovation.

Speaking at the inauguration of Smart City Expo India 2018 here, Naidu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Smart City Mission’ of making 100 smart cities in India will act as lighthouses and inspire and, motivate other cities in India as well as across the globe.

“65% of India’s population is below the age of 35 years, giving the country a huge demographic dividend. The youth of India needs to reform, perform and transform to accelerate urban renewal,” he said.

Naidu also suggested some measures for making sustainable smart cities such as keeping in mind architecture, culture and nature for a better future; pedestrian paths and cycle tracks; rain water harvesting; use of solar energy and recycling of urban water, among others.

Union minister of state (independent charge) for housing and urban affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said that Smart City Mission is one of the flagship programmes of the prime minister. It follows a three-pronged approach —poverty alleviation, affordable housing and cleanliness on the first level, water supply and ease of living on second and third levels respectively. Puri said at present 433 smart city projects worth ₹7,958 crore have been completed in the country.

Furthermore, over 800 projects worth ₹32,500 crore are being implemented. 48 out of the 100 smart city projects in India are based on the public private partnership (PPP) model, he added.

Governor of South Australia Hieu Van le AC, who was also present at the event, said that smart city mission is a giant step toward improving the quality of life for millions in the country.

He said that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the Rajasthan government and Adelaide last year for smart city initiatives.

Social justice and empowerment minister Arun Chaturvedi said a smart city must have robust government structures, sufficient outlets for recreation as well as sustainable mass transportation.

“The four smart cities in the state have in place special purpose vehicles (SPVS). The Jaipur SPV – Jaipur Smart City Ltd — is working on three primary verticals – waste management, water management and energy management,” he said.

Jaipur Development Authority commissioner Vaibhav Galriya said delegates from more than 20 countries are participating at the Smart City Expo.