Union Government shortlist 20 cities under Smart Cities Mission

The Union Ministry of Urban Development has shortlisted 20 cities from 11 States and Delhi Union Territory in the list of first batch of Smart Cities Mission.
These shortlisted cities were selected from Smart City Challenge competition in which 97 cities and towns had participated from 23 States and UTs.
State wise Cities: Among the shortlisted 20 Smart cities, 3 are from Madhya Pradesh, 2 each are from Maharashtra, Rajasthan Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh and 1 each from Odisha, Kerala, Delhi (UT), Assam and Punjab.
20 shortlisted smart cities (Rank wise) are

• Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
• Pune, Maharashtra.
• Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• Surat, Gujarat.
• Kochi, Kerala.
• Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
• Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
• Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
• Solapur, Maharashtra.
• Davangere, Karnataka.
• Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
• New Delhi Municipal Corporation.
• Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
• Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.
• Belagavi, Karnataka.
• Udaipur, Rajasthan.
• Guwahati, Assam.
• Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• Ludhiana, Punjab.
• Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

What is Smart City?

• A smart city is highly advanced urban region in terms of overall infrastructure, communications, sustainable real estate and market viability.
• In this city information technology (IT) is the principal infrastructure and the basis for providing essential services to residents.
• There are many technological platforms involved the principal infrastructure of the smart cities and it is not limited to automated sensor networks and data centres.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2016