The most frequently asked question is: What is a Smart City? The response is that even though the idea of a Smart City has been around for some time there is little consensus on the idea of a smart city or its definition and the way to make a city ‘smart’.

Over the last two & a half years, a number of major Missions have been launched by Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), Government of India for improving the quality of urban services and bridging the urban infrastructure deficit. One of the key challenges faced is the limited revenues of cities and their limited capacity. Value Capture Finance (VCF) is an innovative urban-development funding and revenue generation tool.

In an attempt to finalize a Smart City project proposal to fit local needs of Puducherry, the Local Administrative Department (LAD), in association with the French Embassy and French Development Agency (AFD), organised a consultative workshop on 23rd Feb 2017 in Puducherry.

Our city, Itanagar, faces a wide range of developmental challenges that need to be undertaken right away in order to progress and evolve for the betterment of the city and its residents. India’s Smart Cities Challenge is a major step in this direction, and will definitely help us go a long way in addressing these issues.

Jeli Kayi, the sensational singer of Arunachal Pradesh, has joined in the cause to turn Itanagar into a smart city! As the entire nation already knows, Jeli made it to the top 12 contestants of the popular Reality TV show, Indian Idol 2016. Ever since the show concluded, he has been enjoying huge admiration and support all across India.