Smart City meet begins in Barcelona, India eyes best practices

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With foreign countries offering their expertise to help India with its smart cities model, M. Venkaiah Naidu, Union Urban Development Minister, would be heading to Barcelona to look for country’s best practices. Naidu has been invited by the Mayor of Barcelona to attend the Smart City Expo World Conference to be held between November 18 and 20.

Naidu clarified that India is not lagging behind when it comes to shaping the contours of the smart cities plan. He added that a broad framework is ready, and a meeting of all the stakeholders will be organised in the capital soon

“We will not thrust any ideas on the States, their opinion will be taken, they will be asked to furnish their requirements about how many smart cities they want and with what features,” he said.

The Minister has already held discussions with officials from Singapore and Seoul on the smart cities project. Singapore has shown interest in partnering with India for the development of a new smart satellite city and a new capital for Andhra Pradesh.

Netherlands and Canada are other countries who are willing to partner with India. A delegation of 15 Canadian companies currently visiting India are also exploring commercial partnership opportunities in infrastructure development.