Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge: Smart Cities Mission | 20 Feb 2021
Why in News
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has announced the names of the 25 cities selected for the Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge under the Smart Cities Mission.
Key Points
- About the Challenge:
- Launch: November 2020.
- Features:
- It is a 3-year initiative that aims to work with Indian cities and their partners to pilot and scale ways to improve public space, mobility, neighborhood planning, access to early childhood services and amenities, and data management across city agencies.
- It aims to propagate an early childhood centric approach among Indian cities.
- Partner Organisations:
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Bernard van Leer Foundation (BvLF) and World Resources Institute (WRI) India.
- Support to Selected Cities:
- Selected cities based on their proposal, readiness, and commitment - will receive technical support and capacity-building to develop, pilot and scale solutions that enhance the quality of life of young children.
- Significance:
- Sensitivity Towards Children: Urban design and city planning play a crucial role in shaping the early years (0- 5 years) of a child’s life – the period most vital for a child’s long-term health and development.
- In Line with the ITCN Framework of the Smart Cities Mission: ITCN refers to the Infant, Toddler, Caregiver-Friendly Neighbourhoods framework. It has the following five objectives pertaining to neighbourhoods - Safe, Playful, Accessible, Inclusive and Green.
- Promotes Inclusive Development: It promotes inclusive development as it aims to enhance opportunities in urban areas for all vulnerable citizens, especially young children.
Smart City Mission
- About: It is an innovative initiative under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life of people by enabling local development and harnessing technology as a means to create smart outcomes for citizens.
- Objective: To promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of Smart Solutions.
- Focus: On sustainable and inclusive development and to look at compact areas, create a replicable model which will act like a lighthouse to other aspiring cities.
- Strategy:
- Pan-city initiative in which at least one Smart Solution is applied city-wide.
- Develop areas step-by-step with the help of following three models:
- Retrofitting.
- Redevelopment.
- Greenfield.
- Coverage and Duration: The Mission covered 100 cities for the duration of five years starting from the financial year (FY) 2015-16 to 2019-20.
- Financing: It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.