Govt Invites Private Sector To Participate In Creating Smart Cities In India

Expediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aim to create 100 smart cities, the Urban Development Ministry has invited suggestions from India Inc for the same. The ministry is already in the process of identifying contours for its ambitious project.

“We have already put up a draft concept paper on our website and once we finalise the contours we will go to the EFC (Expenditure Finance Committee) and to the Cabinet,” said Shankar Aggarwal, secretary, Ministry of Urban Development at an ASSOCHAM event.

He further added, “It will take a little bit of more time as it is a huge task and we got to have wider consultation with everyone, all stakeholders have to be consulted and we are in the process of identifying those 100 smart cities in consultation with their state governments.”

However, at present, the government will have to focus on upgrading mega and mid-size towns into satellite towns. “The idea is to get 24x7 electricity and water supply, cyber connectivity and urban mobility with a very good quality of public transport system,” averred Aggarwal.

The government aims to implement the project through a public private partnership model and has said that a major portion of work will be carried out by the private sector. “Almost 98% work has to be done by the private sector, academia and the industry while only 2%, i.e., the glue has to come from the Government of India,” said Aggarwal.