City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) 2.0

07 Aug 2023 City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) 2.0

This article covers “Daily Current Affairs” and the topic details “City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) 2.0”. The topic “City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) 2.0″ has relevance in the Development section of the UPSC CSE exam.

For Prelims:

About of CITIIS 2.0?

For Mains:

GS 3: Development

Smart Cities Mission?

Why in the news:

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, has granted approval for the implementation of the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate, and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0) program. 

Objective:

• CITIIS 2.0, an integral component of the Smart Cities Mission, is designed to provide comprehensive support to projects that foster a circular economy, with a specific emphasis on integrated waste management at the city level. Additionally, it seeks to facilitate climate-oriented reform actions at the State level while bolstering institutional capacity and knowledge dissemination at the National level.
• It seeks to leverage and scale up the successes of CITIIS 1.0, which was launched in 2018.

Themes:

• CITIIS 2.0 will consider Smart City Projects in the following four themes:
• Sustainable Mobility.
• Public Open Spaces.
• Urban E-governance and ICT.
• Social and Organisational Innovation for Low-Income Settlements.

Duration:

The program will run for four years, from 2023 till 2027.

Components:

• Financial and Technical Support for Smart Cities: Up to 18 Smart Cities will receive financial and technical support for projects promoting circular economy, with a specific focus on integrated waste management.
• Support to States/Union Territories (UTs) for Climate Action: All States and UTs will receive support for climate-oriented reform actions.
• Interventions at National Level: National-level interventions will be carried out to support the scale-up of initiatives across all cities and towns.

Funding: The funding for CITIIS 2.0 will include a loan from Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and KfW (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau), and a technical assistance grant from the European Union (EU).

Significance: 

• CITIIS 2.0 aligns with and reinforces the climate actions of the Government of India undertaken in parallel with existing national programs like the National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, AMRUT 2.0, Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, and Smart Cities Mission.
• It also contributes positively to India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and commitments made at the Conference of the Parties (COP26).

Smart Cities Mission

The Smart Cities Mission is a pioneering initiative by the Government of India aimed at driving economic growth and improving the quality of life for citizens through technology-enabled local development. Smart cities are equipped with basic infrastructure to ensure a decent quality of life, a sustainable environment, and the application of smart solutions. The mission focuses on core infrastructure, urban mobility, housing, e-governance, and ICT to create positive outcomes for people.

Objectives:

• The primary objective of the mission is to foster cities that offer essential infrastructure and ensure a satisfactory standard of living for their citizens. The focus is on achieving sustainable and inclusive development while establishing models that can be replicated by other aspiring cities.
• Smart Cities Mission aims to set examples that can be replicated within and outside the smart city concept, catalyzing the development of similar smart cities in different regions of the country.

Smart Cities Mission Strategy:

• Pan-city initiative with one city-wide Smart Solution.
• Three models for area-based developments: Retrofitting, Redevelopment, and Greenfield.

Core Infrastructure Elements:

• The Smart Cities Mission focuses on providing sufficient water supply, reliable electricity supply, and effective sanitation, including proper management of solid waste.
• Efficient urban mobility and public transport.
• Affordable housing, robust IT connectivity, and digitalization.
• Good governance and citizen participation through e-governance.
• Sustainable environment, safety, security, and health and education.

Coverage and Duration:

• The Smart Cities Mission encompassed 100 cities within a duration of five years,from FY2015-16 to FY2019-20.
• Continuation beyond the initial five years will depend on an evaluation by the Ministry of Urban Development.

Financing of Smart Cities:

• The mission operates as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) with financial support from the Central Government (Rs. 48,000 crores over five years).
• States/ULBs will contribute an equal amount on a matching basis.

Progress and Concerns:

• After three years, 89 cities have been selected, but some struggle with urban transformation.
• Private investment identification and definition are lacking.
• Smart cities may create isolated developments instead of inclusive progress.
• Weak interventions in priority areas and inadequate emphasis on urban local bodies.

Way Forward:

• Data-driven understanding of problems and evidence-based decision-making are crucial.
• Private sector involvement and government facilitation for affordable housing and modern transportation.
• Environmental protection while developing smart cities is essential.
• Citizen participation and smart leadership from all levels of government are necessary for successful development.
• In conclusion, the Smart Cities Mission has shown progress in some cities, but there are concerns to address. Data-driven planning, private sector participation, environmental consciousness, and citizen engagement are pivotal for the way forward to build inclusive and sustainable smart cities in India.

SOURCE:https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1928598

Q.1 Consider the following statements regarding CITIIS 2.0:

1. The program will run for three years, 2024-2027.
2. The funding for CITIIS 2.0 will include a loan from Agence Française de Développement.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWER: B

Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding CITIIS 2.0:

1. The funding for CITIIS 2.0 will be entirely in the form of grants only.
2. CITIIS 2.0 will provide support for climate-oriented reform actions to all States and Union Territories (UTs).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWER: B

Q.3 Explain the objectives and significance of the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate, and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0) program. How does it align with India’s climate actions and contribute to the country’s commitments on the international stage? Discuss its potential impact on urban development and sustainable growth in the country.

rishabh