Digital Strategies and Solutions for Smart Cities

The Smart Cities Mission (SCM) was launched by the Government of India in June 2015 to create 100 ‘smart cities’ in five years (by 2020). The presence and rapidly growing number of internet users (34.8%) and smart phone users (17%) in India, along with the growing presence of technology companies and a large pool of educated youth, prompted the Government of India to adopt Smart cities as the game changer scheme (NIUA (2017) “Multi-dimensional Prosperity Index” Delhi, India.)

Under Smart Cities Mission, many Indian cities are planning to leverage Digital Platforms and Industry 4.0 technologies in various projects, such as – Integrated Command and Control Centre for Smart Traffic Management, GPS-enabled waste management, CCTV surveillance in public places, E-Toilets, etc. This has generated lot of demand for world class training programs and capacity building framework for digital solutions at a larger scale across cities.

While the Smart Cities have enormous potential to drive the economic activity amongst the urban population in countries, they present a set of challenges in implementing modern Digital solutions across all domains of Urban Administration. Traditionally the Urban Local Bodies are not trained to handle the modern-day information and communication technologies. Additionally, routine and rote work for many years makes them especially susceptible and resilient against any proposed changes to technology-based functioning. As a result, they are hugely constrained in implementing Smart City solutions in their respective ULBs. Thus, there is an immediate need to put in place a “Capacity Building” framework to help build the capacities of the ULB work force to be better equipped to implement Smart City projects in their respective local bodies. 

In order to ensure that the capacity building framework responds to the demands of the smart city practitioners, The has partnered with All India Institute of Local Self Government (AIILSG) to carry out a Training Needs Assessment Study (TNA) and develop a capacity building framework by mapping the needs of the Smart City leaders with the knowledge/training providers from across the World. This project aims to support capacity building of Smart City Leaders / Project Teams in leveraging the potential of Digital Platforms and solutions to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

The objectives of the project are:
• To document Training Need Assessment (TNA) of Smart City SPVs, especially in the digital & smart solutions domain.
• To create enabling curriculum framework & dissemination through linkages with International and National Institutions & Individuals for Technology, Experts & Trainers.
• To formulate a strategy for effective implementation and follow-up of capacity building activities.

All stakeholders involved in Smart Cities Mission, State leadership, Parastatal bodies, ULBs and SPVs Officials (Leadership, Technical and Operations level), Project Management Consultants, Private Sector Consultants and Vendors, form a target audience for capacity building activities under this project.