Lok Sabha Question No. 2298 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-31
Subject: Smart Cities Fellowship/Awards
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: VIJAY KUMAR S.R., BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, S. RAJENDRAN, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, SUDHEER GUPTA, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav, ANJU BALA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINSTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2298

TO BE ANSWERED ON JULY 31, 2018

## SMART CITIES FELLOWSHIP/AWARDS

2298. SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

SHRI S. RAJENDRAN:

SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV:

SHRIMATI ANJU BALA:

Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  his Ministry has launched India Smart Cities Fellowship (ISCF),  India  Smart  Cities  Internship(ISCI)  programme  and  Smart Cities Digital Payments Awards, 2018 recently;
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  aims  and  objectives thereto;
- (c)  the  names  of  foreign  countries  which  have  shown  interest  in
- smart city projects in the country so far, smart city-wise;

- (d)  the  details  of  the  financial  support  and  Foreign  Technical

Assistance extended so far for smart cities projects; and (e)  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  build  smart

- cities to compete with world class cities?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS (SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI)

(a)  &  (b):  Yes,  Madam.  The  India  Smart  Cities  Fellowship  (ISCF) Program, the  India  Smart  Cities  Internship  (ISCI)  Program  and  the Smart Cities Digital Payments Awards 2018 were launched on 9 July 2018.

The  India  Smart  Cities  Fellowship Program  seeks  to  engage  30 young  graduates/post-graduates  and  PhDs  in  the  fields  of  urban planning, design, engineering, information and technology, mobility, finance, social sector and environmental issues for a period of one year, extendable upto three years. The maximum age of eligibility is 35 years. This Program is designed to provide valuable experience to  the  youth  interested  in  smart  cities  specifically,  and  urban renewal sector in general to bring in new ideas, passion and energy to the challenging work of implementing cutting edge, high-impact solutions  to  key  urban  problems.  This  program  ultimately  aims  at cultivating young leaders, strengthen their understanding of Indian urban  sector  and  preparing  them  for  greater  leadership  roles  in future.

The India Smart Cities Internship Program (ISCI) seeks to engage 30 students pursuing Undergraduate/ Graduate/ PostGraduate Degrees from recognized Universities/Institutions from India or abroad, as "Interns" for a period of six to twelve weeks. The maximum age of eligibility is 32 years. The Program aims at giving exposure to the interns in various areas of urban development like planning, design, engineering, information and technology, mobility, finance, social sector and environmental issues under Smart Cities Mission.

The Smart Cities  Digital  Payments  Awards  2018  is  an  initiative  of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to promote ease of living for  India's  urban  residents.  The  objective  of  these  awards  is  to guide, motivate, recognize and reward the Smart Cities for promoting  digital  payments  and  carrying  out  innovative  payment initiatives  in  their  respective  cities  through  a  two-stage  Challenge process. This not only aims to reward Smart Cities at the forefront of digital payments but also to encourage other cities to follow suit and strengthen their digital payments infrastructure, create awareness  through  promotion  of  digital  payments  amongst  all stakeholders and to provide citizens with multiple options to make digital transactions.

(c)  to  (e):  At  the  National  level,  MoUs  /  Agreement  for  Technical Assistance  have  been  executed  with  Department  for  International Development (DFID), United Kingdom and GIZ, Germany separately.

At the State level, MoUs/ Agreement for Technical Assistance have been  executed  between  United  States  Trade  and  Development Agency  (USTDA)  &  State  Governments  of  Andhra  Pradesh,  Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and French Development Agency (AFD) and Union Territories of Chandigarh, Puducherry and State Government of Maharashtra.  A Credit Facility Agreement for loan of Euros 100 million and grant of Euros 6 million has been executed with AFD for funding of upto 15 innovative Smart City Projects selected through a Challenge Process from across the country. There is a provision for global expertise to be provided during the design and implementation phases of these Projects.

In addition, various other countries, namely, Spain, Canada, Germany, Singapore, UK, South Korea and Japan have also shown interest in participating in the development of Smart Cities.

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