'Smart cities should have green sources of energy & should be self-generating'
Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam 11th President of India
Hyderabad: Land records and building sanction plans will be digitised in all the proposed smart cities in the country, said Union urban development minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, adding that revenues in Hyderabad had increased as the city had gone digital in terms of documentation.
He said that as per the estimates of a high-powered committee, India needed to invest $250 billion to put in place basic urban infrastructure which would lead to a huge investment opportunity. “We will promote private domestic and foreign investments,” he said.
As per a 2014 census, 54 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban segments and the figure is expected to reach 66 per cent by 2050. Urban areas in India are currently contributing to around 60 per cent of the GDP, which is estimated to rise to 75 per cent in 15 years, the Union minister added.
In India, as per the 2011 Census, over 31 per cent of the population ‘377 million’ live in urban areas. This is projected to rise to 600 million by 2030. And by 2050, more than 50 per cent of our population will be urban. China and India will contribute more than one third of the global urban population increase between 2014 and 2050.
He said that a city was ‘smart’ when investments in human and social capital and traditional (transport) and modern (ICT) communications infrastructure fueled sustainable economic development and a high quality of life, with wise management of natural resources, through participatory action and engagement.
The Centre will give all support to Hyderabad and Telangana, he said. Development of smart cities in the country would attract an investment of Rs 2500 billion, he added. “Very soon, I will convene a conclave of ministers of Urban Development of all states to reorganize the way forward,” he said.
Healthy cities over smart ones:
Former President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam stressed on the need for ‘carbon neutral’ cities for healthy living. He also suggested the Magarpatta model for land acquisition, for new, smart and green-field cities.
Speaking at the XI Metropolis World Congress on Tuesday, Dr Kalam said deliberations should be centred on construction of carbon-neutral cities, irrespective of them being smart or not.
He added that smart cities should have green sources of energy and should be self-generating. “My dream is to have carbon-neutral cities, whether they are smart cities or over-smart cities. We need to ensure healthy living, which is possible only if we adopt solar power generation and create a carbon-free environment,” said Dr Kalam.
He also suggested that Magarpatta model of land acquisition; wherein a group of farmers came together to set up a private limited company of developers, when the government classified their land for urbanisation.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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