Sir,
Our Prime minister’s dream and ambitious program of building 100 smart cities in India has still to cover a long distance. The concept of smart cities is very promising and challenging which can only be made possible through the honest cooperation and coordination between the central and the State Governments. The smart cities mission is an innovative and new initiative by the Government of India to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life of people by enabling local development and harnessing technology as a means to create smart outcomes for citizens. The mission is basically aimed to improve the standard of life of the people living in cities. The core infrastructure elements in a smart city include adequate water supply, assured electricity supply, sanitation including solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, affordable housing, robust IT connectivity and digitalization, good governance, especially e-governance, and citizen participation and sustainable environment. The focus is on sustainable and inclusive development and the idea is to look at compact areas, create a replicable model which will act like a light house to other aspiring cities. A smart city brings together technology, Government and society to enable a smart economy, smart environment, smart mobility, smart people, smart living, smart governance et al. It is worthwhile to mention here that the twin capitals of our state are also included in the smart cities mission which is really a good step to move forward as far as urban infrastructural development of the Jammu and Kashmir state is concerned. Let’s hope that the work on the smart cities program in our state will also start soon without any hurdle.
Yours etc….
Vivek Koul
32, Bank Colony
Gole Gujral Jammu
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