National Smart City Award: Indore on Friday (August 25) bagged the best "National Smart City Award", followed by Surat and Agra.The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry announced the India Smart Cities Awards for 2022 on Friday.
The awards would be presented by President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony in Indore on September 27 (Wednesday). Among the 66 winners in different categories, Madhya Pradesh has won the best 'State Award' and Tamil Nadu bagged the second spot. Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh were on the third spot jointly.
Chandigarh has been ranked the number one in the Union territory category. It has also emerged a winner in the best governance category for its e-governance services, according to the ministry. Among the 100 cities being developed under the Modi government's Smart Cities Mission, Indore bagged the top spot, Surat in Gujarat the second place and Agra the third spot.
Clean city award:
In October last year, Indore was adjudged India's cleanest city for the sixth time in a row.
In the 'built environment' category, Coimbatore was ranked the best city for its model roads, and restoration and rejuvenation of lakes, followed by Indore while the third spot was shared by New Town Kolkata and Kanpur. Jabalpur has emerged as the winner in the 'Economy' category with an incubation centre while Indore and Lucknow followed it on the next two spots.
According to the ministry, Chandigarh has been adjudged the best city in the mobility category for "Public Bike Sharing (PPP) along with cycle tracks", followed by New Town Kolkata and Sagar.
Indore has also won the best city award in the 'urban environment' category for "air quality improvement and Ahilya Van along with vertical gardens". Shivamogga and Jammu, in the same category, were awarded for their initiatives in "development of conservancies" and e-auto for the old city respectively.
The ministry said that the 'Smart Cities Mission' (SCM) launched on June 25, 2015, is aimed at providing core infrastructure, clean and sustainable environment and a decent quality of life to citizens through the application of "smart solutions".
This is a transformational mission aimed to bring about a paradigm shift in the practice of urban development in the country, it added. Of the total proposed projects under SCM, 6,041(76 per cent) projects worth Rs 1,10,635 crore have been completed and the remaining 1,894 projects worth Rs 60,095 crore will be finished by June 30, 2024.
People celebrate after Indore tops first in 'National Smart City Award':
After the announcement of the India Smart Cities Award Contest 2022 (ISAC) awards on Friday where Indore came first in the National Smart City Award category, the city has erupted into celebration. People representatives of Indore Municipal Corporation celebrated by setting off fireworks and sweets at Rajwada. Indore MP Shankar Lalwani and Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava participated in the celebration.
"We have achieved this distinction because of the hard work of the officers, the people's participation and above all the political will of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and local representatives who worked in coordination with the people," said Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava.
The Mayor also said that getting this award from President Draupadi Murmu at the smart city conclave that will be held in Indore on September 27 this year is a proud moment. The India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) is organized under the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.
This is one of the important activities initiated under the Mission, where pioneering city strategies, projects and ideas are recognized to award exemplary performance, enable peer-to-peer learning and disseminate best practices. The ISAC recognizes and rewards the cities, projects and innovative ideas that are promoting sustainable development across the 100 smart cities, as well as stimulating inclusive, equitable, safe, healthy and collaborative cities, thus enhancing the quality of life for all.
(With agencies inputs)
ALSO READ: Madhya Pradesh: Trial runs of Indore Metro set to begin next month, says official
ALSO READ: Madhya Pradesh: Two killed, six injured as guard opens fire after argument over dogs in Indore
