4. What are 'Smart Cities'? Examine their relevance for urban development in India. Will it increase rural-urban differences? Give arguments for 'Smart Villages' in the light of PURA and RURBAN Mission.

4. What are 'Smart Cities'? Examine their relevance for urban development in India. Will it increase rural-urban differences? Give arguments for 'Smart Villages' in the light of PURA and RURBAN Mission.

Smart cities:-

    Smart cities mission aims to harness the power of Information and communication Technology (ICT) to solve urban challenges.

    It envisages a phased implementation of the scheme to improve the standard of living for India’s burgeoning urban population. It leverages the use of ICT for effective and efficient urban life.

Relevance to Urban Development in India:  

    Cities contribute to 63 % of Indian GDP. The increasing population has caused extreme stress of urban amenities.

    Smart cities mission aims to provide affordable housing, water supply, reliable power supply, waste management, robust IT connectivity and digitalisation, e-governance , sustainable development and efficient urban mobility.

Rural- urban difference: 
   68% of Indian population reside in villages. The increasing urban-rural divide has left the rural population at disadvantage. Gandhiji quipped “India resides in its villages". He envisaged them to be the center of growth and empowerment. However, reality is far from Gandhi's vision. Decades of neglect has left rural India behind.
Smart villages:
      PURA
      RURBAN

    Government by its various schemes has aimed to bridge the urban-rural divide to provide for adequate (piped) water supply, health and educational opportunities, sanitation, digital connectivity and road linkage.

    Post unveiling Smart cities mission, government has launched the Smart villages mission. It is seen as a logical advancement of PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Area) and Shayama Prasad Mukerji National Urban Mission ( NRuM). It aims to develop smart village, who have the soul of village and urban facilities.

    PURA was launched by our former president Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam to provide for health, educational and Knowledge linkage and provide for employment opportunities in rural areas.

    NRuM aims to create physical, social and digital infrastructure in a cluster region which would act as engines of growth and development.

    The overall goal of the government is to improve the standard of living of its people – both rural and urban. Various schemes are launched to realize this Nobel goal.