Smart City: Delivery of Civic Services conference aimed to promote economic growth that is inclusive, achieve human development goals and attain environmental sustainability concludes at WeSchool on an optimistic note
Vijnan Bharati, Mumbai in association with Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research (WeSchool) recently organized a two day conference on Smart Cities, focusing on defining specific actionable, achievable and measurable objectives for cities and towns to evolve to ‘smart’ ones with a special focus on the “Delivery of Civic Services” to its citizens.
Experts from government, academia and industry shared an overview on what smart resource management and delivery of services would mean and how it will improve interface between the citizens and local government. Physical Infrastructure, Social Infrastructure, Environmental Sustainability: Green technologies, Technology and Governance were the issues focussed and debated upon to bring home the point that smart cities need smart solutions that ensure opportunities for its people from diverse social strata to learn, earn ,live and grow together in harmony in safe and healthy environment.
The conference was inaugurated by Shri Venkaiah Naidu,Union Minister ,Urban Development who unfolded the ambitious plan spearheaded by PM Narendra Modi, as the centre has approved spending to the tune of One Lakh Crore on urban development under two new missions; the Smart Cities mission and the Atal Mission for the Rejuvenation And Urban Transformation (AMRUT) of 500 cities.
With Internationally renowned Eminent Environmentalist & Habitat expert, Shri Madhav Chitale as the mentor to the conference, Vijnan Bharati, Mumbai is attempting to approach this issue bearing in mind the ground reality that the existing infrastructure of Bharat can be best augmented by proposing Bharat Centric Solutions applicable to modern day situations.
Dr Madhav Chitale ,eminent environmentalist &habitat expert, emphasised in the need for partnership between the Government, academic, Private Sector, Professionals, Community and Media. There shared a renewed social ethos will form the foundation for Smart cities and new urban center will also need to be created for migrant population and shared the need to transform the old cities into modern, efficient and sustainable cities for the future.”
Prof Dr Uday Salunkhe, Group Director, WeSchool, outlined the role of educational institutions in the participation in the National agenda be it Smart Cities, Swachh Bharat or Make in India. “The role of education is crucial and critical in fulfilling the objectives on the National agenda. As collaborators with creative mindset, our role is beyond degrees and getting placements for our students. We believe in nurturing students as responsible citizens, not confined by local paradigms but equipped with a global mindset and thus develop an ecosystem where learning is forever. Smart cities need smart education.”
” Education will lead to Smart Citizens leading to Sustainable Smart Cities. Hence the role of the education sector is critical in this process. Skilling and Reskilling is the Mantra for bringing transformation in Self, Organization and Society. We are a social transformational lab and are happy to join hands with you in taking the national agenda forward” he added.
Padma Bhushan Shri.S.Ramadorai, Chairman, National Skill Development Council, the Guest Of Honour, said, “Smart cities must ensure quality of life for its citizens be it in place of work, entertainment, health, accommodation and others. It must be safe, reliable and must guarantee service consistency. Smart citizens must be equipped with technological skills to take advantage of the facilities on offer.”
Shri Arun Nanda,Chairman,Mahindra Lifespaces, Shri Ajit Gulabchand,CMD,Hindustan
Construction Company,Dr Rajiv Lall,CMD,IDFC,Shri Ashwin Shroff, Chairman ,Excel Industries, Dr Satish Wate,Director , NEERI , Shri Venkatesh Valluri ,CMD,Valluri Foundation & BOD ,Ingersoll Rand and may other stalwarts participated in different sessions.
The role of educational institutes in fulfilling the need of a large number of well educated and trained young men and women from diverse disciplines, fired with a zeal and determination to fulfil the Smart city agenda , was brought out by leading academicians like Prof Dr Suhas Pednekar, Principal ,Ruia College and President ,Vijnan Bharati(Mumbai) , Dr Vasudha Kamat,Vice Chanceller,SNDT, Prof Rohit Shinkre ,Principal,Rachan Sansad, Prof Rangan Bannerji,Prof KV Krishna Rao and Prof Krithi Ramakrishnan of IIT-B ,and Prof Dr Ketna Mehta, Associate dean –Research,WeSchool.
In the valedictory address, It was Padmashri Dr V K Saraswat ,Member,NITI AYOG,who took centre stage. “In the changing context today, if consumerism is not taken care of, no resources or infrastructure provided will be adequate for coming generations. The artificial world is expanding so fast, using all the natural resources that as a result, the biological world is getting completely strained, and smartness created will vanish in no time. We are talking of urbanization as a vehicle for economic growth but urban planning in India has always been a major drawback. We must therefore place environmental concerns at the center of urban–rural rejuvenation .Smart cities is the solution, but with the soul of Bhartiyata. ”he emphasised.
