June 6, 2018
India is in the midst of developing up to 100 sustainable smart cities by 2022 at an investment of around US$30 billion under the Central Government’s Smart Cities Mission initiative
The deal between India and France will promote cooperation in smart cities development, urban transportation systems, urban settlements, water supply and waste management systems
The agreement with the UK will focus on waste management, green affordable housing, skill development in urban areas, urban transportation as well as innovative access to finance
A deal with Denmark will target smart urban development through exchange of knowledge, institutional cooperation, research and development and commercial relations on related issues
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved four separate agreements with the Governments of France, the UK, Denmark and the Netherlands in the field of sustainable and smart urban development. India is in the midst of developing as many as 100 sustainable smart cities by 2022 under the Central Government’s Smart Cities Mission initiative. The US$30 billion urban renewal and retrofitting project, launched in mid-2015, is part of an objective to considerably improve standard of living in growing urban centres across India, and reduce urban pollution. Since the launch of the smart cities project, entities from France, Germany, Japan, the USA, the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, Israel, Sweden and Singapore have tied up in different capacity. Besides cementing strategic partnerships with a rapidly developing economy, foreign entities will aim to leverage business opportunities in the space.
The deal between India and France in sustainable urban development, effective for a period of five years, will promote technical cooperation in the areas of smart cities development, development of urban mass transportation systems, urban settlements and utilities (water supply and sewerage systems) as well as disposal and treatment of solid waste.The latest agreement will also target landfill remediation, management of non-revenue water, water reuse and recycle, technology transfer, conservation of fresh water by artificial recharge of aquifer, circular economy, mass housing, green housing, urban planning, human resource development and capacity building. The agreement is expected to create employment in urban mass transportation systems, urban settlements and water supply and sewerage systems, solid waste disposal and treatment, affordable housing, waste management and heritage preservation.
The agreement with the UK in relation to technical cooperation in sustainable urban development will facilitate and strengthen bilateral institutional partnership in smart cities development, solid waste management, green affordable housing, wastewater management, capacity building for management of urban institutions, other skill development in urban areas, urban mobility, intelligent transport system and transit-oriented development as well as innovative access to finance.The agreement is expected to create employment in the areas of smart cities development, solid waste management, green affordable housing, wastewater management, skill development in urban areas, urban mobility, intelligent transport system and transit-oriented development. With both France and the UK, India will set up a joint working group to strategize and implement the programmes under the respective bilateral deals.
A similar agreement signed with Denmark will target technical cooperation in sustainable and smart urban development. The agreement will promote bilateral cooperation in sustainable and smart urban development through exchange of knowledge, institutional cooperation, research and development and commercial relations on related issues.Areas of cooperation include smart urban solutions, liveability, sustainable and integrated urban planning, re-development and land use, integrated solid waste management including waste to energy, sustainable transport systems, water and sanitation management, energy efficiency as well as resource mobilization. The deal is expected to create employment in the areas of integrated solid waste management including waste to energy, sustainable transport systems, water and sanitation management, energy efficiency, resource mobilization.
India’s agreement with the Netherlands will target technical cooperation in spatial planning, water management and mobility management.The partnership will promote and strengthen the collaboration in affordable housing, smart city development, geographical information system for water supply and sewerage system, waste water reuse and recycle, conservation of fresh water by artificial recharge of aquifer, integrated solid waste management as well as heritage conservation. The agreement is expected to create employment in the areas of Spatial Planning, Water Management and Mobility Management, smart cities development, affordable housing, waste management, urban environment and heritage preservation. India will set up joint working group with Denmark and the Netherlands as well to monitor the implementation of programmes under the respective bilateral agreements.