Q10.With a brief background of the quality of urban life in India, introduce the objectives and strategy of the ‘Smart City Programme.”

Rapid urbanization in India has led to significant challenges in maintaining a desirable quality of urban life. Cities grapple with immense pressure on resources and infrastructure, impacting citizen well-being.

• Inadequate core infrastructure like water supply, sanitation, and public transport.
• Rising pollution, congestion, housing shortages, and urban poverty.
• Challenges in urban governance and service delivery.

To address these issues, the Government of India launched the Smart City Mission as a flagship initiative. It aims to drive economic growth and improve citizens' quality of life by enabling local area development and leveraging technology.

Objectives

• Provide core infrastructure: assured water, electricity, sanitation, efficient urban mobility, affordable housing, IT connectivity, safety.
• Ensure a clean and sustainable environment.
• Apply 'Smart' solutions for better governance and services.

Strategy

• Area-based development: retrofitting, redevelopment, and greenfield development.
• Pan-city initiatives using Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
• Promoting citizen participation in urban planning and management.