Date : 30/08/2023

Relevance – GS Paper 3 – Infrastructure

Keywords – ISAC, Smart City, ICCC, AMRUT

Context

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has made a recent announcement regarding the India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) 2022. This event is held as a part of the broader Smart Cities Mission (SCM). The contest has recognized and honored 66 winners across diverse categories.

Notably, Indore in Madhya Pradesh and Chandigarh have taken the lead in the ISAC 2022 awards. These cities have been acknowledged for their remarkable achievements in various aspects of urban development.

Key Highlights of ISAC 2022:

National Smart City Award:

Indore clinched the prestigious national smart city award, reflecting its remarkable strides in urban development strategies. Following closely were Surat and Agra. Indore's dedication to enhancing sanitation, water supply, and the urban environment earned it recognition as a front-runner in these critical domains.

State Award:

The state award was secured by Madhya Pradesh for its holistic approach in promoting smart city initiatives within its jurisdiction. Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan followed suit, demonstrating commendable efforts in this field.

Union Territory (UT) Award:

Chandigarh was bestowed with the UT award, acknowledging its relentless endeavors to shape itself into an exemplar of a smart city.

Other Categories:

• Coimbatore stood out in the built environment category.
• Ahmedabad excelled in the culture and Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) segment.
• Jabalpur showcased its prowess in the economy category.
• Chandigarh shone in governance and mobility.
• Indore led in sanitation, water, and urban environment domains.
• Vadodara was recognized for its achievements in social aspects.
• Hubbali Dharwad claimed the top spot in the innovative idea category.
• Surat's efforts in the Covid innovation category were highly appreciated.

What is ISAC?

The ISAC acknowledges and commends cities, projects, and innovative concepts that advance sustainable development within the 100 designated smart cities. It fosters cities that are not only driving inclusive, equitable, safe, healthy, and collaborative urban environments but also elevating the overall quality of life for their residents.

Having been held three times previously in 2018, 2019, and 2020, the fourth edition of ISAC was inaugurated in April 2022 during the 'Smart Cities-Smart Urbanization' event in Surat, Gujarat.

The ISAC 2022 awards incorporated a dual-phase submission process. The first phase, termed the 'Qualifying Stage,' encompassed a comprehensive evaluation of each city's overall performance. Subsequently, the 'Proposal Stage' required smart cities to nominate themselves for recognition in six distinct award categories.

These categories encompassed:

• Project Awards with ten diverse themes,
• Innovation Awards spanning two distinct themes,
• National/Zonal City Awards,
• State Awards,
• UT (Union Territory) Award, and
• Partners Awards with three varied themes.

Smart City Mission

The Smart Cities Mission is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme that was launched in June 2015 with the objective of transforming 100 cities in India by providing essential core infrastructure and creating a clean and sustainable environment. This transformation is achieved through the implementation of "Smart Solutions" to ensure a decent quality of life for the citizens. The mission's primary focus is to fulfill the aspirations of India's urban population by undertaking various urban development projects.

Key Features:

• Area-Based Development: The mission's strategic components include area-based development, which involves retrofitting, redevelopment, and greenfield development to enhance cities. Additionally, a pan-city initiative is applied to cover larger parts of the city with smart solutions.
• Focus Areas: The scheme prioritizes the construction of amenities such as walkways, pedestrian crossings, cycling tracks, efficient waste management systems, integrated traffic management, and assessment mechanisms.
• Indices Tracking: The Smart Cities Mission evaluates multiple indices to monitor urban development progress. These indices include the Ease of Living Index, Municipal Performance Index, City GDP framework, and Climate Smart Cities assessment framework.

Achievements:

• Integrated Command and Control Centers (ICCC): One of the major achievements of the mission is the establishment of ICCC in all 100 smart cities. These centers act as operational hubs for urban management, utilizing technology to enhance various aspects of city operations. ICCCs have notably improved crime tracking, citizen safety, transport management, waste management, water supply, and disaster preparedness.
• Sectoral Progress: The Smart Cities Mission encompasses projects across various sectors, including mobility, energy, water, sanitation, public spaces, social infrastructure, and governance.
• Smart Mobility: Completion of 1,174 projects.
• Smart Energy: Successful completion of 573 projects.
• Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH): Over 1,162 projects completed.
• Public Spaces: Development of more than 1,063 public spaces.

The Smart Cities Mission is a significant initiative aimed at transforming urban areas in India into more efficient, livable, and sustainable environments through innovative technological interventions and holistic urban planning.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) 2022 stands as a testament to the remarkable strides made in urban development through the Smart Cities Mission. The recognition of cities, projects, and innovative ideas that foster sustainable growth is a vital step towards creating inclusive, equitable, and thriving urban environments. As we celebrate the accomplishments of Indore, Chandigarh, and other cities, we are reminded that the journey towards smart cities is a collective effort, rooted in the core principles of progress, innovation, and collaboration. With initiatives like ISAC and the broader Smart Cities Mission, India continues to pave the way towards a future where urban areas are not only technologically advanced but also enriched with quality of life for all its citizens. This positive trajectory promises to shape our cities into vibrant hubs of creativity, efficiency, and well-being.

Source – PIB