Reiterating on the Centre’s resolve to improve the standard of living in urban areas under the ‘Smart Cities’ programme, Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Poverty Alleviation M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said that there would a substantial rise in city-based population in the country.

Speaking during the inaugural of ‘Centre for Smart Cities’ at Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Sri City, Mr. Naidu said that more than 500 million people would be added to the existing urban populations in the next three decades and the Centre, with its all seriousness and sincerity, would ensure them a better standard of living.

Mr. Naidu further said that the Centre would launch two major urban initiatives in April. The first one, under the ‘New Urban Rejuvenation Mission’, would ensure all basic amenities in 500 cities with population of more than one lakh.

The second one would focus in building ‘Smart Cities’, in terms of their scope, reach, impact and implications.

“We intend to change unplanned urbanisation through various initiatives aimed at ensuring basic amenities and infrastructure, besides taking the governance and service systems to a new level,” he said.

The IIIT (Sri City) would be taking up a pilot project on Smart Water Meters, Smart Electric Meters & Smart Grid, Security & Smart Access, Public Transport Monitoring & Vehicle Safety and Smart Money, the Union Minister added.