Smart City project for sustainable development, with two billion Euro assistance from the French government, has begun in Puducherry with Nagpur and Chandigarh being next in the line. French envoy to India Francois Richier said the French development agency, AFD, has already joined hands with these state administrations. AFD will provide technological support in the areas of water, sanitation, transport and waste management in these cities.

While Puducherry will be the first focus, Chandigarh and Nagpur will be taken up in the second phase. The other areas of support will include energy efficiency, solar energy, heritage preservation, communication and technology, and security and city lighting.

Smart City Project

• On August 2015, Mr. Naidu unveiled a list of 98 cities with Uttar Pradesh taking the largest share of developing 13 smart cities followed by Tamil Nadu, which qualified to develop 12.
• Of the 98 cities and towns that five years down will graduate into smart cities, 24 are capital cities, another 24 are business and industrial centres, 18 are culture and tourism influenced areas, five are port cities and three are education and health care hubs.
• The Centre has set aside Rs. 48,000 crore for the mission and the money will be released to urban local bodies at frequent intervals in the next five years.