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India and Sweden have a lot in common in terms of demography, people, culture and implementation of modern technology. While the sub-continent is looking at building <keyword id="6377036" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="smart-cities">smart cities</keyword>, Sweden’s indigenous knowledge of its smart-city building model called ‘Symbiocities’ can actually transfer best practices to make the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=smart+cities">smart cities</a> in the country with economically viable infrastructures providing optimum benefit for the dwellers. There are a few key lessons that India can take away from Symbiocities that Sweden has already built since years. 
 
A large number of Indian and Swedish companies are investing in each others’ countries under various sectors with great growth potential. 
 
In order to build smart cities in India, Sweden, recently, offered its expertise in some areas that need great attention. Waste management, optimum usage of energy, digital urban land management and urban transportation can get a major fillip from Swedes knowledge. Apart from smart cities, women empowerment and self sustainable living could be Sweden’s most important contributions to India in the coming days. 
 Swedish Minister Mehmat Kaplan met Maharashtra’s Chief Secretary Swadhin Kshatriya to provide much needed impetus to bilateral relations, by way of parting with expertise in building smart cities. This will give a boost to the '<keyword id="6354869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="make-in-India">Make in India</keyword>' initiative, with India and Sweden having signed a Memorandum of Understanding on sustainable <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=urban">urban</a> development. 
 Minister Kaplan said, “Sweden and India have always had good relations visible through the number of exchanges on a political level as well as student exchanges and company collaborations. For a country like Sweden, striving to be an open innovation-driven <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword>, India is a natural partner, and in India, Maharashtra is of particular importance. My visit to Mumbai is to the further this partnership with a focus on Smart cities and sustainable urban development an area of mutual interest for both the countries” 
 
Speaking about the collaboration between India and Sweden, Consul General for Sweden Fredrika Ornbrant said, “It is inspiring to see the broad range of engagement between Sweden and Maharashtra stretching from business and infrastructure to education and culture. Swedish companies in Maharashtra generate almost 28,000 jobs directly and a total of 1, 45,000 jobs directly in India. In line with the Indian government’s initiative to build 100 smart cities across India, the MoU on Sustainable Urban Development between our two nations will help develop, govern and manage these cities according to best practices developed through close cooperation. We are also very pleased that Minister Kaplan has come down to Mumbai to further this collaboration” 
 
Kaplan also pointed out that Sweden’s experience in developing sustainable development solutions ranging from the bio fuel buses, energy efficient solutions to combat housing shortage can be India’s typical solutions to almost similar kind of problems. 
 
Though both countries look almost similar in their structure, there are some deep cultural similarities between both countries. Apart from this, Sweden has always been a country that has a capitalist <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=economy">economy</a>, optimum social welfare programmes and high levels of resource distribution among inhabitant communities. 
 
Recently, Sweden backed India’s bid for entry into the elite group of countries seeking to prevent the proliferation of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology. Sweden is already a key member of Missile Technology Control Regime and a very influential voice in the global arena. 
 
Here are some key areas where Sweden’s lessons can serve as key policies when India realizes its dream of smart cities. 
 
Efficiency maximized: More from less 
The key thing that India can learn from Symbiocities is high returns from basic investment. Though Indians have an indigenous way of meeting their needs with least investment, this does not hold well when planning for a massive change of mindset by way of setting up smart cities. 
 
Symbiocities are all about long term returns. Hence, India needs to look at multidisciplinary approach to make the entire process cost efficient and accountable to public. 
 
According to Kaplan, “Sweden is encouraging social scientists and anthropologists to actively participate in city planning to make solutions best fit and not just urban planning. This surely aids designing the cities of future.” 
 
Interactive urban systems 
Making every system that aids efficient way of life interactive with easy user interface can not only change the method that is used to access these systems, but also ensure people’s participation in a big way. According to Kaplan, well planned logistics when optimized, can yield better transportation systems, save energy by checking wastage and ensure judicious use of power. Ecologically, this can be an area where things can be massively improved without pushing nature to the brink. 
 
Smart housing Kaplan also stated that “decision making” is being made cheaper and faster through big data and effective data management. Using optimised life cycle calculus, and hot water economy, houses of tomorrow can be self-sufficient. India can localise this solution to include <keyword id="6357019" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="solar-energy">solar energy</keyword> panels to produce local power, rain water harvesting which can reduce the burden on urban bodies to supply with humongous amounts of water for every household. 
 
Citizen partnership 
This is a grossly neglected area that India needs to immediately pay attention to. Citizen groups are usually considered intrusive in India, since urban planning is mostly top down. This has to change in terms of smart cities, which need to tap the potential of its dwellers who may possess some great knowledge about issues relating to civic matters. Sweden enrols its citizens in most decision making processes, in order to help citizens take pride in their city. 
 
Innovation for future 
Whether it is producing clean energy or waste management, India needs to innovate since its growth potential and urban needs are going to grow manifold in the future. Sweden shows the way with bio fuels in urban areas, clean tech farming and friendly tax systems have made the country the most liveable among those in the world. 
(Image: BCCL)

5 Key lessons for Indian smart cities from Sweden

The <keyword id="50190" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="asian-development-bank" source="Orion">Asian Development Bank</keyword> (ADB) has approved a USD 400 million loan to support the Indian government's <keyword id="706405" type="General" weightage="40" keywordseo="urban-reform" source="Orion">urban reform</keyword> agenda for creating high-quality <keyword id="557969" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="urban-infrastructure" source="Orion">urban infrastructure</keyword> and efficient governance systems. The programme also envisages integrated urban planning reforms to control urban sprawls and foster systemic and planned urbanisation through enhancing the entire ecosystem of legal, regulatory, and institutional reforms along with capacity building of ULBs and community awareness, ADB said. "The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 400 million policy-based loan to India for Sub-programme 2 of the <keyword id="8174895" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sustainable-Urban-Development" source="Orion">Sustainable Urban Development</keyword> and Service Delivery Programme. "The programme aims to support the government's urban reform agenda for improving the quality of urban life through the creation of high-quality urban infrastructure, assured public services, and efficient governance systems," ADB said. While Subprogramme 1, approved in 2021, established national-level policies and guidelines to improve urban services, Subprogramme 2 is supporting investment planning and reform actions at the state and urban local body (ULB) levels. "India has recognised the potential for cities to be centres of economic growth and has emphasised the need to make cities livable through inclusive, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure, which is also in line with ADB Strategy 2030," ADB Principal Urban Development Specialist <keyword id="86074" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Joshi" source="Orion">Sanjay Joshi</keyword> said.

ADB approves $400 mn loan to support govt's urban reform agenda

<ul class="summary-list"><li>US Special Operations Command is looking for the kind of gear it needs to fight future battles.</li><li>Urban combat is expected to be a major focus, just as it has been in past and current fights.</li></ul>Consider a hypothetical. China has invaded Taiwan. After a few tense hours of deliberation, the US decides to come to the island's defense, prioritizing freedom and the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific.Beijing gambles on a rapid seizure of Taiwan and throws everything it has at it. The Chinese military manages to achieve temporary air superiority over the battlefield and launches a large-scale amphibious assault. Soon, Chinese tanks and infantry fighting vehicles are rolling onto Taiwanese soil.US special operations forces on the island join their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-deployment-training-troops-taiwan-report-2021-10">Taiwanese comrades</a> in major urban centers, getting ready for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taiwans-military-is-training-for-urban-warfare-against-chinese-troops-2022-4">intense urban combat</a>.Although a fictional scenario, this is something US commandos could be facing in the future. It is, after all, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/04/29/defending-mock-invasion-of-taiwan-signals-shift-army-special-operations-after-years-of.html">situation</a> they've <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-green-berets-explain-how-they-train-taiwan-troops-2021-10">trained</a> for, along with other <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/future-of-warfare-is-catastrophic-and-robotic-former-general-says-2023-5">high-intensity conflict scenarios</a>. Looking toward potential future fights like this, US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is after new tech that would help its special operators survive and thrive in urban warfare.<h2>A futuristic sight</h2>In October, SOCOM released a <a target="_blank" href="https://sam.gov/opp/79402c6788424934a84e07607dba4e97/view">solicitation</a> for a non-line-of sight targeting system for urban combat. The system would allow commandos to track, target, and even engage enemy fighters without exposing themselves directly.Working with SOFWERX, a technology testing and innovation platform, SOCOM will facilitate a series of feasibility studies and rapid prototype events to explore and test technology with the goal of creating a piece of gear that will "enable rapid, precise, operator-controlled Non-Line of Sight (Non-LOS) targeting in urban, surveilled environments."<div type="image" title="Green Berets with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), maneuver through a building while conducting room clearing and close quarters battle training." height="929" width="1389" msid="107330104" hostid="261" sizebytes="108422"></div>As the solicitation mentions, recent battlefield advancements, such as autonomous systems and remotely placed sensors, have made it difficult for ground troops to access and operate in "static, fixed locations with line-of-sight of opposing positions."The system will rely heavily on artificial intelligence and will use a lot of data and machine learning to understand different scenarios and give the operator on the ground the right picture. Essentially, SOCOM is looking for a sensor that will be able to tell a special operator exactly where an enemy fighter is during urban combat and allow him to target the threat from a position of safety.The program focuses on four areas: sensors, data networking, data processing, and data analytics and artificial intelligence.As with most of the Pentagon's new programs, SOCOM requires that the system have an open architecture to allow for the insertion of new technology as it becomes available.<h2>Modern Urban Warfare</h2>The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has shown that urban warfare remains as deadly as ever.The Kremlin, for example, lost more than <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-fighting-cost-russia-tens-thousands-lives-months-us-intel-2023-5">100,000 Russian soldiers</a> and Wagner Group mercenaries, counting killed and wounded, during its 2022-2023 winter offensive, much of which was focused on the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bakhmut-how-ukraine-lost-city-russia-won-hollow-victory-2023-12">siege of Bakhmut</a> in the Donbas. The proliferation of drones and electronic warfare systems has amplified the classic dangers of urban combat, such as snipers, artillery, and close-quarters fighting."When I hear the words 'urban warfare' I think of buildings, close ranges, challenges in fires support, CAS [close air support], or MEDAVACs [medical evacuations]. These are the things that concern me going into an urban setting," a retired Delta Force operator told Insider.To be sure, American commandos aren't new to urban combat.<div type="image" title="Green Berets with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), maneuver through a building while conducting room clearing and close quarters battle training." height="3459" width="5189" msid="107330105" hostid="261" sizebytes="711280"></div>"Wherever you look, there is combat in urban settings. Afghanistan was really the exception to that with engagements at longer distances," added the retired commando, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of his ongoing work with the government.During the industrial counterterrorism campaign against al-Qaeda in Iraq and the Iraqi insurgency, US special operations forces got a good taste of urban warfare and its complexities. Despite world-class training, elite units like the Delta Force lost commandos that this new sensor might have saved. In the fighting against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, US commandos fought once more in a brutal urban warfare setting in Mosul."We train extensively in close-quarters battle, but even the best training isn't always enough. A non-line of sight such as the one described can definitely help guys on the ground better navigate the urban battlefield and see threats before they see them. We already have some gadgets that help us," the retired Delta Force operator said.But with the rapid advances in technology, new systems are necessary to stay ahead of the competition.

SOCOM is after new tech to help special operations forces spot, track, and take out urban threats without being seen

<keyword id="6521786" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Urban-planning">Urban planning</keyword> and its execution at present in India can at best be described as being rudimentary. The rains and the ‘urban floods’ that one sees in cities as distant as Mumbai and Gurgaon are living examples of the urban experience in India. The purpose is not to demean or demotivate architects and urban planners and their enormous contribution since India’s Independence. However, it is to bring to the fore the fact that citizens’ experience within cities is not pleasant in most cities in India today. Part of the problem has to do with the massive influx of people and the inability of the cities’ <keyword id="17408" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="infrastructure">infrastructure</keyword> to cater to this influx. However, part of it also has to do with the inability of state and the private sector to provide services while having a rent-seeking mentality. 
 
The first of these problems/opportunities that exist is with respect to urban housing and allied urban services. It includes not only delivery of quality housing to value conscious people moving to cities but also looking at fulfilling other related and allied services. It also includes the provision of gas supply, electricity supply, and water supply. The range of services can either be public or private. However, the major point is the delivery of these services at competitive rates for value-conscious consumers. 
 
Secondly, roads, mobility platforms/systems, etc. that form major infrastructure elements within Indian cities need to be designed/ maintained properly. These along with waste are often not accorded the attention that they deserve in India especially with the kind of urban density that Indian cities have. Drainage and sanitation are often an issue in the rainy season that causes several water-borne diseases. Proper sewage disposal, drainage systems as well as fully functional waste collection system as it leaves individual houses are crucial for building a healthy city. 
 Third, most Indian cities are without lungs. It is because most of them do not have proper landscape planning and a functional mechanism for the preservation of trees. India’s cities are the one of the most polluted cities in the world. According to a recent report by the World Bank, the economic impact of the ambient air <keyword id="13001" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="pollution">pollution</keyword> in India is as high as atleast1.6% of its GDP. The problems of asthma and other lung related ailments are precisely due to the ‘lack of lungs’ in the cities along with air pollution. 
 
Fourth, mobility options within a city are often limited and problematic. These relate to end-to-end mobility choices within cities that are safe, comfortable as well as cost effective. Mass transit systems work wonders in dense urban locations but can be a nightmare to design and implement. Choices like collective biking for people who reside close to their workplaces can also contribute to a healthy city. Also, real-time information within cities is critical for making quick decisions. It includes not just the GPS system for directional navigation but also information about traffic flows that could prevent congestion and lead to productivity gains and an efficient city. 
 
Finally, while designing and building cities of the future one has to look carefully at the workplaces and commercial spaces within the city. These form the economic engine within a city. As the middle class in India increases further, these are bound to take greater prominence within cities. 
 
Over the next two decades, these broad areas should be focused on to mitigate the adverse effects of India’s burgeoning urban population and build more livable cities. It will not only enable systematic urban development but also help in making urban reality a pleasant experience in India. 
 
(The article is co-authored with Sankalp Sharma, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Competitiveness, India. Amit Kapoor is Chair, Institute for Competitiveness &amp; Editor of Thinkers. The views expressed are personal. Amit can be reached at <a href="mailto:amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in">amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in</a> and tweets @kautiliya)

Making Future Indian Cities more Livable

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2016-10-03_15_53_16_View_south_along_U.S._Route_17_Business_and_east_along_Virginia_State_Route_55_(Main_Street)_at_Rectortown_Road_(Virginia_State_Secondary_Route_710)_and_Winchester_Road_in_Marshall,_Fauquier_County,_Virginia.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></div></div></div><ul><li><a href="https://www.cnu.org/highways-boulevards/freeways-without-futures/2017#29" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Congress for New Urbanism</a>, an urban planning nonprofit, put together a list of highways in America that are causing blight on surrounding neighborhoods.</li><li>The list highlights how mid-20th-century urban planning is starting to fall out of favor.</li><li>Some cities are planning to remove the highways that made the Congress for New Urbanism list.</li></ul> Cities and states are starting to re-think sprawling highway projects built during the fervor of 20th-century urban development.As cars were mass produced and made widely available through financing, massive highway systems were constructed to support their ascendance.Automakers played a key role in this development: The American Highway Users Alliance, which GM founded in 1932, lobbied for tax breaks that would lead to sustained highway funding over time. Just two decades later, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the National Interstate Highway Act, which allocated $25 billion over 10 years toward 41,000 miles of interstate highways.All of this is to say there's a story behind America's interlocking highway system and not all of it is rosy. Highways were regularly <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cities-removing-highways-cut-off-neighborhoods-2017-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">constructed at the expense of neighborhoods</a>, often ferrying white suburbanites through minority neighborhoods. Some of these freeways developed into "border vacuums," a term coined by urban activist Jane Jacobs that refers to the role infrastructure can play in depriving growth in the surrounding area.Local governments have only recently started to evaluate what tearing down these aging highways could do for neighborhoods that were hardly considered during their construction.Congress for New Urbanism, an urban planning nonprofit, put together a list dubbed "Freeways Without Futures," as spotted by the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/21/style/the-end-of-freeways.html?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosam&amp;stream=top-stories&amp;_r=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New York Times</a>. The list shows which highway teardown projects have the biggest potential to "remove blight" from neighborhoods.Some highways the list are already serious contenders for removal projects - scroll down for a closer look:

These are the most hated highways in America

Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>’s one of the most ambitious dreams is to establish 100 Smart Cities across India. To realise his dream, the state governments and other stakeholders have started taking baby steps. They have chalked out the criteria for the selection and ranking of cities hoping to build ‘a new Chicago every year’ in the country by agreeing to implement innovative financing models and urban governance reforms. 
 These agreements were reached following intense discussions at the two-day ‘Consultation Workshop of state governments and stakeholders on smart cities.’ The final recommendations were presented at the concluding ‘Plenary Session,’ which was chaired by <keyword id="6721" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="babul-Supriyo">Babul Supriyo</keyword>, minister of state for urban development and housing &amp; urban poverty alleviation. 
 The state governments and other stakeholders have suggested that the basic eligibility conditions to participate in the ‘<keyword id="513113" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="smart-city">Smart City</keyword> Challenge’ competition should include a city development strategy, progress under <keyword id="2312336" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Swachh-Bharat-Mission">Swachh Bharat Mission</keyword>, timely payment of salaries to municipal staff, information and grievance redressal mechanism as well as e-News Letter. 
 
They’ve also added that the ranking of these cities will be based on parameters such as: self-financing ability (25% weightage), institutional systems and capacities (25%), existing service levels and committed plan of action for three years (25%), past track record in implementing reforms (15%) and the quality of vision document (10%). 
 
Indian states have suggested two sets of reforms separately for small and metropolitan cities, land monetisation, quick progress towards e-governance and online service delivery, integrated geographic information system (GIS)-based master plans, policy reforms, fixed tenures for mayors and municipal officials, improving revenues through 100% collection of taxes and user charges etc. 
 
In order to enable the state governments to take up the challenges under smart cities initiative, Minister of States Babul Supriyo has urged the state authorities to devolve necessary functions, funds and functionaries to the urban local bodies.

Indian States Gear Up For An Era Of ‘Smart Cities’

The 100 <keyword id="2474960" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="smart-cities-project">smart cities project</keyword>, part of the Smart Cities Mission, recently got further impetus when with the government shortlisted 20 cities, which will first be developed as smart cities. 
 
The smart cities project seeks to develop 100 cities that will be more citizen-friendly and sustainable, with an endeavor to push urbanization in India. The NDMC area of New Delhi among others is in the recently announced shortlist of 20. 
 
Currently, at around a population of 350 million with an estimate to touch 600 million by 2030, urbanization in India is lagging behind developed nations and BRIC nations. Most developed nations, for instance, have an urban population of over 80%. China’s urban population is 54% and Brazil’s is at a surprising 90%. 
 
India’s urban population is at around 30% and this is set to increase rapidly because of her huge youth population, migrating to cities for growth and employment opportunities. 
 
The vision for smart cities is to provide urban services that address citizens’ needs with efficient governance, thus improving the quality of life in Indian cities. It will involve infrastructure investments, efficient transport systems, waste management and water management systems, energy efficiency systems, design and architectural innovations, IT connectivity, and e-governance mechanisms, which in order to fall in place will require Public Private Partnerships. 
 
However, for the mission to be successful, a grassroot-level requirement would be to ensure safety and security of citizens. The reality is that Indian cities are not safe. 
 
Delhi has been adjudged as one of the most violent places in India, even cities like Bengaluru, which is known as the start-up hub of the country, features as a high crime region, making its citizens fear for their personal safety. 
 
Safety and security in smart cities: What it entails 
 
Safety and security is in fact an important feature of smart cities. CCTVs, vehicle tracking systems, GPS enabled transport modes are all part of the equation, but also needed is a prompt, reliable, and fool-proof safety and security assistance that can actually be present to protect the individual from real or perceived harm. 
 
Providing this service is not rocket science but it requires in today’s age of connectedness, a strong technology backed by a trustworthy and capable service. 
 
While it may be true that about half the crimes are solved by police authorities in NCR and the criminals are brought to book, it may be in some cases the crime could have been averted if the affected party had access to prompt action and someone who could help. 
 
There are private enterprises that have risen to the occasion and are attempting to fill the gap that in developed nations is provided for the most part by government. 
 
Because of the huge infiltration of smartphones, there are a lot of apps that act as an alerting mechanism to family members when one’s security and safety are under threat. 
 
These apps act as great communication mechanisms, but will need to be backed by timely action. In times of panic, though, the best of us may lose judgment of what may be the right thing to do. At such a time, having the right assistance, of someone trained, who is well versed in handling a broad range of situations, can prevent an edgy situation from further escalation. These could include a personal medical emergency or a road rage situation that’s become uncontrollable or simply having someone check on you to ensure your personal safety when using public transport in late evening hours or to deserted areas. 
 
There’s a broad range of crisis situations we face on a daily basis that make us feel vulnerable—this holds true whether one is living in smart cities or in our cities as they are today. If a personal safety and immediate assistance service is able to make a difference to even the life of one person, then getting this type of safety and security service in place for citizens would create goodwill and make urban life less stressful for citizens. 
 Start with the basics—ease of reach through an app or a help line, an embedded GPS that would help determine an affected party’s location (again something that has been amiss in several incidents reported till even recently in NCR), a command and control center that is able to guide callers until live help in the form of a trained responders team reaches, a partnership with government authorities, police, hospitals that are able to help in such situations, is a good place to start. Things companies such as <keyword id="2773238" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="One-Touch-Response">One Touch Response</keyword> have already done, in our effort to make citizens of Delhi NCR feel more secure. 
 
(The author of this article is Arvind Khanna, Founder of One Touch Response)

Citizen safety and security: An essential pillar needed to transform our cities into smart cities

New Delhi, Jan 31 () Expenses of a student on books, stationery and uniform in rural India on an average are over 10 percentage points higher than those in urban areas, although participation in <keyword id="6355445" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="education">education</keyword> system has seen improvement at all levels, according to the <keyword id="6354872" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Economic-survey">Economic Survey</keyword>. As per the Economic Survey 2019-20 tabled in the Parliament by Finance Minister <keyword id="129243" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword>, the absence of suitable financial support system and high burden of course fee, especially in higher education, pushes the poor and underprivileged out of the education system. Citing data from the National Sample Survey (NSS) report on 'Key Indicators of Household Social Consumption on Education in India 2017-18', the survey said that in 2017-18, there were about 13.6 per cent persons of age 3 to 35 years who were never enrolled in the education system.
 "The reasons they cite for not enrolling were 'not interested in education' and 'financial constraints'," it said.
 Among those who were enrolled, drop-out rate was as high as 10 per cent at primary level, 17.5 per cent at upper primary/middle, and 19.8 per cent at secondary level, the survey added.
 Highlighting the challenges for 'Education for All' initiative, the survey said the composition of various components of expenditure on education indicates that the course fees, which is 50.8 per cent at all India level, among others contributes about half of the average expenditure of a basic course.
 Course fees include tuition, examination, developmental fees and other compulsory payments.
 The proportion of course fee is also high in rural and urban areas, it added.
 "The second largest component of average expenditure on education by student is books, stationery and uniform where an average student in the rural areas is surprisingly spending more than 10 percentage points as compared to urban areas," the survey said.
 It also pointed out that students pursuing education in private aided institutions are spending significantly higher as compared to government institutions across rural-urban India.
 Quoting the NSS report, the survey said in 2017-18, the average expenditure of an average student in government institutions pursuing secondary education was Rs 4,078 whereas the same for a student in private aided institution was Rs 12,487.
 When it comes to graduation, the expenditure for an average student in government institutions was at Rs 10,501, while in private aided institutions it was Rs 16,769.
 The survey said "due to absence of competition in government schools/institutions, quality of education in government schools/institutions is low. As a result, more and more students prefer to enrol themselves in private institutions".
 It cited initiatives such as Samagra Shiksha started in 2018-19, which subsumes three erstwhile centrally sponsored schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE), as steps taken to provide quality education in government schools and institutions in affordable and competitive manner. RKL RVK

Rural students spend more than urban counterpart on books, stationery, uniform: Eco Survey

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Saudi Arabia has embarked on its ambitious project to build a city in the shape of a line. </li><li>While the concept of linear urban design has existed since the 19th century, few have attempted it. </li></ul>Saudi Arabia is constructing a huge mirrored city in the desert.The Line, as it has been named, is actually <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neom-saudi-arabia-desert-megacity-plans-look-pictures-2024-4">a megacity consisting of two skyscrapers</a> that was originally intended to stretch out for 170km, with the aim to eventually house nine million people.Officials have called it an "architectural masterpiece" and a "revolution in urban living."Although <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia-neom-megaproject-not-struggling-vision-2030-minister-2024-4">recent reports</a> suggest the plans have been scaled back, the 2.4km still due to be built will be the largest linear city in existence if it is completed.As a concept, linear living is nothing new."It is ambitious but hardly revolutionary," Anirban Adhya, a Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at Lawrence Technological University, told Business Insider.Following the Industrial Revolution, many urban planners looked to alternative city layouts to tackle booming populations.The Spanish architect Arturo Soria is widely credited with designing the first linear city, "La Ciudad Lineal," in 1882 on the outskirts of Madrid. Around forty years later, in 1924, renowned Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier offered another radical alternative with his "Ville Radieuse," a linear, ordered metropolis full of green space.The Soviet urbanist Mikhail Okhitovich was sent to a gulag in 1930 for his "economically crippling" proposal to <a target="_blank" href="https://socks-studio.com/2012/07/14/mikhail-okhitovich-and-the-disurbanism/">transform the city of Magnitogorsk</a> into eight ribbon-like strips converging on a factory."It has been common for urban planners to argue for a new future as a reaction to what they claim to be an 'unsustainable;' existing situation of their time. The Line in Neom is no different," said Adhya.But revolutionary or not, is the idea of building a dense metropolis in the shape of a line a good one?<div type="image" title="The Line Neom" height="801" width="1433" msid="110639896" hostid="261" sizebytes="142404"></div>Compared to traditional layouts, the benefits of linear cities include efficient public transport, ready access to nature, and a more egalitarian lifestyle. Theoretically endless, they can easily extend as populations expand.Proposals for The Line echo many of these promises.The project's website presents the city as a solution to mass urbanization and the climate crisis, depicting it as a sustainable carless utopia that will preserve 95% of the region's land.Neom's designers claim that all essential services will be accessible within five minutes, and nature will be just a two-minute walk away. AI-powered technology throughout the city will enhance sustainability and maximize residents' life expectancy, they say."There is no right shape for a city — they typically evolve over time, based on natural, cultural, transportation, political, and economic factors," Mona Lovgreen, a partner at Canadian architecture firm DIALOG, told BI.She believes that if designed correctly, The Line's linear form would make it accessible and facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources along its entire length.<div type="image" title="Neom construction." height="990" width="1980" msid="110639897" hostid="261" sizebytes="99798"></div>Though she said its goals may be exaggerated, Lovgreen believes the vision of The Line is admirable."It challenges us to rethink urban design and discover new ways to make cities efficient, livable, and sustainable."It could set a trailblazing example for how to use AI to improve sustainability and energy efficiency, something US urban planners should replicate, Lovgreen added.The focus on convenience and services being within reach also shows promise, Adhya said, pointing to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-freedom-cities-build-housing-conservatives-scoff-at-leftist-plan-2023-3">successful examples already underway</a> in cities like Paris and Portland.In "smaller chunks and pieces," the linear structure of The Line could work, Adhya said.<h2 id="54f67557-c933-4746-bf46-7f190715c720">'Bland and monotonous'</h2>While some practical sides of the structure have potential, all experts BI spoke to saw fundamental issues with the lived experience inside linear cities."The Line could be a fascinating place to visit and experience, but I'm still unsure of whether humans are designed to live in such a rigid and prescriptive structure," Lovgreen said.The Line is formed of modules that can each house 80,000 people, able to move about through a horizontal and vertical transport system.<div type="image" title="The Line, NEOM" height="1280" width="1920" msid="110639899" hostid="261" sizebytes="173552"></div>"Compared to other urban designs like grid layout, radial layout, ring layout, or some combination of these, human experience in a strictly linear urban development can lack interest and variation," explained Adhya."Certain parts of the city could become too far and segregated."The repetition of infrastructure and kit-of parts would be "bland and monotonous," lacking the unique character that other cities offer, said Lovgreen."Ultimately, the psychological impact of living in such a regimented environment may affect residents' well-being," she told BI.This type of structure is not only monotonous, but can limit social cohesion, according to John Gold, a professor of Urban Historical Geography at Oxford Brookes University."Linear cities are an extreme form of urban dispersal — community development and social cohesion still need centrality," Gold told BI.Another challenge in Neom's design is its over-reliance on technology and the public transport system, experts said. If something went wrong, the entire system would crumble, they warned."Most cities have network redundancy, where multiple options are available if a specific connection or intersection is blocked. A linear city may not have this capability," explained Lovgreen.<div type="image" title="NEOM Saudi" height="1280" width="1920" msid="110639900" hostid="261" sizebytes="210062"></div>Lastly, in spite of The Line's proclamations of sustainability, its huge mirrored walls could be harmful ecologically both in terms of unnecessary heat gain within the structure as well as being <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neom-the-line-mirrored-tower-birds-kill-saudi-arabia-2024-5">detrimental for the migratory flight paths of billions of birds</a>.But the big issue, according to Gold, is "who would actually want to live in such a 'city'?""These schemes, and the Saudi one is a classic example, map out a hi-tech utopian future but never engage with people as they really are. In my opinion, linear city schemes are best left as design exercises for third-year architectural students," Gold said.

Saudi Arabia is trying to build the largest linear city ever. It's a visionary but flawed concept, urban planners say.

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/chinese-labourers-work-at-a-construction-site-in-the-news-photo/52452647">Guang Niu/Getty Images</a></div>In nearly <a href="http://english.caijing.com.cn/2012-11-29/112322258.html">every public speech</a> since the leadership handover, Li Keqiang, who will take over as premier in March, has spoke about the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-new-leaders-land-reforms-2012-11">importance of urbanization</a> as a new growth engine.
Societe Generale's Wei Yao however writes that the impact of <keyword id="68159" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Urbanization">urbanization</keyword> has been "misunderstood and overstated by the market".
For one, Yao writes that the impact of urbanization on <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword>'s productivity growth is decreasing, just like the the direction of demographics on labor force growth.
"For an emerging economy to catch up, moving farmers to manufacturing plants is a key source of productivity gain in the early stage. China’s experience in the past three decades was a typical example.
The 10-year average growth rate of China’s urban population growth was 4.8% in the 1980s, 4.2% in the 1990s and 3.8% in the 2000s. The impact of this rapid urbanization on total factor productivity (TFP) was particularly pronounced. We estimate that this source accounted for about 30% of the impressive TFP growth.
"However, urban population growth should also decelerate rapidly in the current decade. The UN projected China’s urban population to grow 2.5% in the 2010s, 1.3ppt slower than in the previous decade. As a result, China’s labor productivity growth, which averaged 8% in the 1990s and 9.5% in the 2000s, will normalize lower as well."
Others share this view. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/peter-orszag-china-lewis-turning-point-2012-11">Peter Orszag, vice chairman at Citigroup</a>, has pointed this out before. He said China is near its Lewis turning point i.e. the point at which the shift of people from agriculture to manufacturing does not lead to productivity gains. "If China is at or near its Lewis turning point, Xi will face an extraordinary economic challenge, with far-reaching geopolitical ramifications." he wrote.
Markets have been responsive to policymakers' comments on urbanization and encouragement of infrastructure investment.
But Yao writes that this could be a huge impediment to its future urbanization and that Beijing needs to rethink its strategy to focus on:
<ol>
<li>Removing <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/unfavorable-domestic-chinese-policies-2012-11#the-household-registration-system-limits-property-ownership-and-benefits-to-chinese-citizens-1">obstacles to labor mobility, namely Hukou</a>, a household registration system. " Given the projected urbanization trend and the number of migrant workers who do not have urban Hukou, the government may need to pour 40 trillion yuan into this project, equivalent to 20-25% of the total on-budget fiscal revenue by 2020".</li>
<li>A fiscally sustainable safety net.</li>
<li>Urban job creation.</li>
</ol>
Remember China had been trying to shift from export and investment driven economic growth, to domestic demand growth. This focus on urbanization could stall Beijing's long-term efforts on developing its growth model.
SEE ALSO: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/gmo-chinas-credit-system-vulnerability-2013-1">GMO - China Is Marching Towards A Credit Crisis &gt;</a>

Urbanization Won't Save The Chinese Economy

Hyderabad, The <keyword id="50847" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="reserve-bank" source="Orion">Reserve Bank</keyword> has imposed a penalty of Rs 65 lakh on city-based <keyword id="17873662" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ap-mahesh-co-operative" source="Orion">AP Mahesh Co-operative</keyword> <keyword id="283059" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="urban-bank" source="Orion">Urban Bank</keyword>, for non-compliance with provisions of <keyword id="17873661" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="cyber-security-framework-for-primary" source="Orion">Cyber Security Framework for Primary</keyword> (Urban) cooperative banks, <keyword id="129368" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="hyderabad-police" source="Orion">Hyderabad Police</keyword> said on Saturday. The central bank imposed the monetary penalty of Rs 65 lakh on AP Mahesh Co-operative Bank after the RBI's thorough cyber audit and the Hyderabad police investigation revealed the bank's significant "lapses" which led to the breach pertaining to the case wherein hackers breached the bank's systems through phishing mails and siphoned off Rs 12.48 crore in January 2022. "The RBI's thorough cyber audit and the police investigation revealed the bank's significant lapses which led to the breach. This is the first time ever that such an action has been taken against any Bank. All banks should adhere to cyber security practices to avoid such loss of public money and crucial data," a release from Hyderabad Police said. After AP Mahesh Co-operative Urban Bank reported the cyber-fraud incident, a case was registered and police said the criminal act was carried out through a series of phishing emails that were cleverly disguised and sent to bank employees. Upon opening these malicious emails, the employees' systems were compromised, providing the fraudsters full access to the bank's network. During the course of the investigation of the case several perpetrators, including Nigerian nationals, were arrested, police said. "This investigation also revealed bank's negligence which is evident from its failure to implement Cyber security measures, such as an Anti-phishing application, Intrusion prevention and detection systems, and Real-time threat defense and management systems, as mandated by the RBI," Hyderabad Police said. These Cyber Security components are indispensable for safeguarding cyber landscape, and were found to be conspicuously absent within the bank's cyber security infrastructure, the release said adding Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand, corresponded with the RBI Governor, highlighting the critical lapses and requested for the suspension of the bank's license to operate. The current legal framework did not allow for the criminal negligence charges against the bank management, it said. "Nevertheless, the Hyderabad City Police pursued the matter which resulted in the RBI imposing a monetary penalty of Rs 65 lakh on AP Mahesh Co-operative Bank," the release added.

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