The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) recently launched the “Smart cities and Academia Towards Action & Research (SAAR)” program. This initiative is a collaborative effort between MoHUA, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), and leading academic institutions across India. The primary objective is to foster engagement between academia and urban development projects, thereby enabling an efficient flow of information.
Key Aspects of the SAAR Program
Under this program, 15 premier architectural and planning institutes of the country will collaborate with Smart Cities to document landmark projects as part of the Smart Cities Mission. These documents will encapsulate effective practices, provide opportunities for students to engage with urban development projects, and facilitate real-time information exchange between urban practitioners and academics.
MoHUA and NIUHA will establish links between the institutions and Smart Cities for specific landmark projects that need documenting. The inaugural activity under SAAR involves creating a compendium of 75 remarkable urban projects in India completed under the Smart City Mission.
About National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)
Established in 1976, NIUA is an autonomous body dedicated to research, training, and information dissemination regarding urban development and management. Located in New Delhi, the Institute operates under the Societies Registration Act. It has support from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Indian Government, State Governments, urban and regional development authorities, and other agencies involved with urban issues.
Information on Smart City Mission
The Smart City Mission is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme managed by MoHUA, aimed at driving economic growth and enhancing citizens’ quality of life through local development and utilization of technology. Its objective is to foster cities that offer core infrastructure and a decent quality of life to its residents, along with a clean, sustainable environment and application of Smart Solutions.
The focus of this mission lies on sustainable and inclusive development, targeting compact areas to create a replicable model that would serve as a guide for other aspiring cities. The strategy involves at least one Smart Solution applied city-wide and developing areas step by step through retrofitting, redevelopment, and Greenfield models.
Performance and Results of The Mission
Since its inception in 2015, the 100 Smart Cities developed 5,151 projects with an investment of Rs. 2,05,018 crore.
Other Initiatives Related to Urban Development
Several other urban development-related initiatives are operating alongside the SAAR program and the Smart City Mission. These include the Atal Mission for Urban Rejuvenation and Transformation (AMRUT), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs), Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework 2.0, India Smart Cities Fellowship Program, and TULIP-The Urban Learning Internship Program.
