Historical background of an Indian city and the relationship of modern e-governance to the concept of smart city mission for a sustainable development

1. E- Governance and Smart Cities of India
STEPHEN ANURAG P
Master of Arts (MA), I year
Politics and International Relations
PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY
(A CENTRAL UNIVERSITY)

2. "Government's foremost job is to focus
society on achieving the public interest.
Governance is a way of describing the links
between government and its broader
environment - political, social, and
administrative.”
Thomas B Riley

3. Contents
 Introduction
 E-Governance: Meaning and approaches and National e-
governance Plan
 Smart Cities of India : Features and modes
 Good Governance and Sustainability : Major contributor for the smart
city development
 Vizag as a Smart City
 Suggestions

4. INTRODUCTION
 Since the advent of the empire-states, governance has been playing a pivotal role in the
administration of the society. Earlier, during the monarchs regime governance was king
centric and its impact would reflect on the general administration. The modern era gave birth
to a new concept of Policy Studies i.e. “e-governance”.
 Information is an utmost necessary element of any administration and the present globalized
world made information more accessible through various ways among which Information
through Internet (IT) is relevant to understand the concept of E-governance. Objectives of Its
origin in India and the objectives shall be discussed in the next chapters.
 The other concept of this paper is ‘Smart Cities’, which is a new mission of the government to
create or modify a cosmopolitan city in the country into a super land of opportunities with
world class modern facilities like very good transportation, clean environment, solar power
and efficient electricity, adequate medical and health facilities and education, etc. This
enables India’s growth in the modernized world.

5.  E-governance is one of the major objectives of smart cities mission of the
government. Which aims to enable:
 A decent quality of life to its citizens
 A clean and sustainable environment and application of ‘Smart’ Solutions
 Priority for accountability, status of complaint/activity, and other information of the
governments are highly demanded of the people.

6.  Before 1991, government carried out its activities, but with the LPG policy
being introduced in the country, citizen’s activities and governance was
progressed and prospered, and Urbanization has been at full force, which
boosted the economic power of the country.
 And before the introduction of e-governance plan in 2006, all activities of the
government were carried out in a traditional and regular manner, but the
implementation of e-governance plan brought enhancement in the
governance and citizens involvement in government. Many government
services are being utilized through internet.
 Internet is the lifeline to e-governance.

7. E-Governance: Meaning and approaches and
National E-Governance Plan
 Information is an utmost necessary element of any administration and the
present globalized world made information more accessible through various
ways among which Information through Internet (IT) is relevant to understand
the concept of E-governance.

8.  The Council of Europe has taken e-Governance to mean: “the use of
electronic technologies in three areas of public action: -
1. Relations between the public authorities and civil society
2. Functioning of the public authorities at all stages of the democratic
process (electronic democracy) –
3. The provision of public services (electronic public services)”
 In this case, the focus is on making use of electronic technologies with a
view to encourage better interaction between government and citizens,
promote democracy and provide public
 NOT ONLY CITIZENS BUT ALSO INDIVIDUAL PERSONS OF A STATE
SHALL KNOW THE INPUTS AND OUTPUTS OF THEIR
ADMINISTRATION.

9. NeGP
 i. Common Support Infrastructure
 ii. Structured Governance
 iii. Centralised Initiative, Decentralised Implementation
 iv. Public-Private Partnerships (PPP)
 v. Integrative Elements
 vi. Programme Approach at the National and State levels

10. Smart Cities of India : Features and modules
The conceptualisation of Smart City, varies from city to city and
country to country, depending on the level of development,
willingness to change and reform, resources and aspirations of
the city residents. A smart city would have a different
connotation in India than, say, Europe. Even in India, there is no
one way of defining a smart city. Some definitional boundaries
are required to guide cities in the Mission

11.  In the imagination of any city dweller in India, the picture of a smart
city contains a wish list of infrastructure and services that describes
his or her level of aspiration. To provide for the aspirations and needs
of the citizens, urban planners ideally aim at developing the entire
urban eco-system.

12. The core infrastructure elements in a smart city would include:
 Adequate water supply,
 Assured electricity supply,
 Sanitation, including solid waste management,
 Efficient urban mobility and public transport,
 Affordable housing, especially for the poor,
 Robust IT connectivity and digitalization,
 Good governance, especially e-Governance and citizen participation,
 Sustainable environment, Safety and security of citizens,

13. Good Governance and Sustainability :
Major contributor for the smart city development
 Good Governance doesn’t necessarily mean to the anti-corruption
and anti-racial administration.
 Good Governance and Sustainability are unique and
complementary.
 E-governance is not just an Electronic governance. It is more of an
Efficient Governance.

14. Components of Good Governance
Sustainability
 Prevention of corruption Analysis,
 Articulation and acceptance of governmental policy
choices
 Across Transparency and information,
 Accountability and Rule of law

15. INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
(3000-1500 B.C)
 Town Planning: Urban Cities and Rural areas
 Mohen-Jo-daro: It was being Built which was used as a public bath. The
overall dimension of the Bath Tub is 180 feet by 108 feet. The bathing pool is
39 feet by 23 feet with 8 feet depth. There is a device to fill and empty the
water of the bathing pool.

18. Vizag as a ‘Smart’ City
 Government of India in 2004, identified and sanctioned “smart city”
status to 100 cities, for the sophistication at its best. The pioneer
among them is Visakhapatnam
 With a beautiful Coast and being the tourist spot, the state
government and the union government with the district authorities
have formulated the following modules for the smart city
development of Vizag.

20. Modules
 24 hrs water
 24 hrs electricity
 Solar and Green energy
 Slum free zones
 Underground electricity cords and the power will be restored in a day
 Pollution free,
 Best law and Order,
 Digitalization of Government services, Tourism, Education, Cultures etc;

21. Suggestions
 Establishment of Community Resources Centre (CRD’s)
 There shall be a CRD for 3000 families radius, this also invokes more
employment and counters the problem of Unemployment and Poverty
 Each CRD shall consist of Transport service tickets, Telecom office, Post Office,
Ministerial representative office, Health Centre, Departmental Stores.
 Establishment of Traffic Lane Discipline and a Systematic patrolling
 Promoting historical significance and local cultures of the city to tackle the
globalization and ‘go-localization’ of local cultures

23. Development of a country not only depends on
e-Governance or Smart Cities but also Good Governance and
Sustainable policies, which includes:
1. Economic Development
2. Removal of Poverty
3. Correct use of Natural Resources
4. Get accessible to Entrepreneur and Social responsibility
5. Sound leadership
6. Improving of National Income and Standards of Living

24. NOTONLYTHE CITY’SARCHITECTURETHATHASTO BEBEAUTIFIEDBUT
ALSOAND MOSTIMPORTANTLYTHE INNERARCHITECTUREOF AN
INDIVIDUALTHATISPERSONALITY,MINDSETANDATTITUDETOWARDS
SOCIETYWOULDHELPDEVELOP ACITYLIKEVISAKHAPATNAMAHEAD OF
OTHERREGURARLYDEVELOPINGCITIES

25. References
 Concepts and Components of E-Governance: Nayana Renukumar, Centre for Good
Governance
 E-governance : Meaning and Concepts, IGNOU text book
 Source: http://www.coe.int/T/E/com/Files/Themes/e-voting/definition.asp
 Source: http://india.gov.in/egovernance/nationalegovernanceplan

26. Thank you !