CII in association with their Knowledge Partner, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) released a report titled “Competitive Smart Cities in Rajasthan” against the backdrop of the 6th Infra Conclave Rajasthan on ‘Smart and Green Livable Cities’ organized by CII in partnership with the Department of Urban Development and Housing Department, Government of Rajasthan on 29 July, 2015 at Jaipur.
While it is not possible to predict which cities will be selected by the Government of Rajasthan to represent the state in the Smart City Challenge being organised by the Ministry of Urban Development, it is important to understand that the smart city mission is centred around the leveraging of the economic potential and unique identity of Rajasthani cities and towns, and to present these potentials in the context of intensive citizen engagement and consultation with all stakeholders.
The CII-NIUA report points out that smart cities must have smart citizens, and this requires awareness creation and engagement in a sustained manner. Studying of data on some of the most important cities and towns is a first step, and an attempt has been made to capture their unique identity. This study covers the profiles of ten cities and towns in Rajasthan with an intent to reveal some of the factors that should guide the thinking on smart cities. Further, some models for development which includes sections on Smart City Planning; Citizen and Stakeholder Consultations and Guidance Notes are presented.