Ans1:
The government aims to create 100 smart cities in India. Smart cities are defines as cities which are liveable, enjoyable and safe. The uniqueness about these cities would be the use of Information technology as a means to achieve the above mentioned objectives. The government also proposes to adopt a bottoms up approach in creating these cities. Moreover all this has to be done with a vision for the poor is the governments objective. The mission adopts a competitive approach to select the cities. Before we analyse the suitability of the mission to India's socio cultural realities, it is imperative we understand them before.
Indian cities are heterogenous with people from diverse parts of the country residing there. Cities are places for the poor, middle class and the rich. Growth in cities is generally accompanied by migration from rural areas. Discrimination on caste, religion, gender lines has reduced drastically over the years but this still needs to be considered. The poor and vulnerable sections are at a nascent stage in using digital technology, so this factor must be considered as smart cities are highly technology dependent. Western idea of consumerism has not reached its zenith in India, space for spiritual and religious activities accompanied by cultural and festivals is mandatory in designing any smart city.
With these realities, we shall analyse the design of smart cities. Firstly, over emphasis on the technology part is detrimental due to poor access and coverage. It may leave out many people from availing services. Second, housing and transport have to be affordable because large population is expected to be poor or middle class. Thirdly, governance of the cities must be inclusive. Any hijack by upper caste and class people shall be avoided. Fourthly, we need an indian model of smart city which emphasises on community links, common festivals, space for religious activities of different religions and also takes care of different cultural programs and activities. Fifthly, focus on children, women and aged must also be included in the design.
Smart cities will be sustainable, inclusive and effective only if they take care of the poor smartly. The government envisages this vision and hence the smart city mission will be a watershed in indian urbanisation.
Ans2:
Recently Government has launched its flagship scheme "smart cities
mission' to build 100 smart cities across India with a corpus fund of Rs 48000
crore.
The main objectives of the mission are :
Building of 100 smart cities by efficiently utilizing available resource,
assets and infrastructure to enhance quality of urban life, promote clean and
sustainable environment by focusing on clean water, sanitation, solid- waste
management, e- governance. robust use of IT, housing for poor and citizen's
engagement
Though the scheme aims to overhaul urban landscape by use of innovation
and technology, it possesses certain grave challenges in socio-cultural realm.
Presently 1/3 of the total population lives in urban area and
contributes 60% to the national GDP. This involves a large number of migrant
and unorganized labor working in cities
Building smart Cities on line of American –style of urbanization which
are usually affordable by high income group will only institutionalize the
disparity and exclusion of these poor dwellers.
Secondly the regulatory mechanism and decisions on choice of basic civic
amenities are decided by well organised and wealthy association (For Ex: Residents’ welfare associations in Delhi) which wholly neglect the basic needs such as problems of slums and sanitation faced by poor migrants.
Thus in my opinion though the building of smart cities is in right direction to improve urban livability and transforming 100 urban cities into new centers of growth a due care is necessary to check social segregation and prevent them from becoming centers of disparities.
The government aims to create 100 smart cities in India. Smart cities are defines as cities which are liveable, enjoyable and safe. The uniqueness about these cities would be the use of Information technology as a means to achieve the above mentioned objectives. The government also proposes to adopt a bottoms up approach in creating these cities. Moreover all this has to be done with a vision for the poor is the governments objective. The mission adopts a competitive approach to select the cities. Before we analyse the suitability of the mission to India's socio cultural realities, it is imperative we understand them before.
Indian cities are heterogenous with people from diverse parts of the country residing there. Cities are places for the poor, middle class and the rich. Growth in cities is generally accompanied by migration from rural areas. Discrimination on caste, religion, gender lines has reduced drastically over the years but this still needs to be considered. The poor and vulnerable sections are at a nascent stage in using digital technology, so this factor must be considered as smart cities are highly technology dependent. Western idea of consumerism has not reached its zenith in India, space for spiritual and religious activities accompanied by cultural and festivals is mandatory in designing any smart city.
With these realities, we shall analyse the design of smart cities. Firstly, over emphasis on the technology part is detrimental due to poor access and coverage. It may leave out many people from availing services. Second, housing and transport have to be affordable because large population is expected to be poor or middle class. Thirdly, governance of the cities must be inclusive. Any hijack by upper caste and class people shall be avoided. Fourthly, we need an indian model of smart city which emphasises on community links, common festivals, space for religious activities of different religions and also takes care of different cultural programs and activities. Fifthly, focus on children, women and aged must also be included in the design.
Smart cities will be sustainable, inclusive and effective only if they take care of the poor smartly. The government envisages this vision and hence the smart city mission will be a watershed in indian urbanisation.
Ans2:
Recently Government has launched its flagship scheme "smart cities
mission' to build 100 smart cities across India with a corpus fund of Rs 48000
crore.
The main objectives of the mission are :
Building of 100 smart cities by efficiently utilizing available resource,
assets and infrastructure to enhance quality of urban life, promote clean and
sustainable environment by focusing on clean water, sanitation, solid- waste
management, e- governance. robust use of IT, housing for poor and citizen's
engagement
Though the scheme aims to overhaul urban landscape by use of innovation
and technology, it possesses certain grave challenges in socio-cultural realm.
Presently 1/3 of the total population lives in urban area and
contributes 60% to the national GDP. This involves a large number of migrant
and unorganized labor working in cities
Building smart Cities on line of American –style of urbanization which
are usually affordable by high income group will only institutionalize the
disparity and exclusion of these poor dwellers.
Secondly the regulatory mechanism and decisions on choice of basic civic
amenities are decided by well organised and wealthy association (For Ex: Residents’ welfare associations in Delhi) which wholly neglect the basic needs such as problems of slums and sanitation faced by poor migrants.
Thus in my opinion though the building of smart cities is in right direction to improve urban livability and transforming 100 urban cities into new centers of growth a due care is necessary to check social segregation and prevent them from becoming centers of disparities.
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