4th Smart Cities India Expo 2018 held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, A Big Draw

The 4th Smart Cities India Expo 2018, the largest trade show and conference of its kind in the country, saw the presence of H.E. Daniel Carmon, Ambassador of Israel to India, Shri C R Chaudhary – Honourable Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Honourable Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Durga Shanker Mishra, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and Shri L C Goyal, IAS (Retd.), Chairman, India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).

The Smart Cities Mission is central to the overall strategy to accommodate the massive urbanisation that is expected in the future. The government's mission to develop smart cities opens up massive opportunities for contribution from various organisations, thinkers, technology providers, etc. 99 cities have been selected as part of the Smart Cities Mission, with a total allocation of ₹2.04 lakh crore to be utilised for multiple projects.


Shri Durga Shanker Mishra, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, said, "The concept of smart cities is not simply about integrating technology into urban infrastructure, but about improving the overall quality of life of the citizens. The Mission aims to undertake a complete urban transformation to meet the demand for more than 50% of the population expected to reside in cities by 2050. Since the launch of the Smart Cities Mission, we have flagged off projects worth ₹2.04 lakh crores towards developing urban infrastructure and living spaces for more than 90 cities selected for the mission."

Shri C R Chaudhary, Honourable Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, said, "It fills me with great hope when I see new-age start-ups and entrepreneurs engaged in the development of new technologies that can help us solve key problems in the country. These young men and women, with their ground-breaking ideas and vision, are making great strides with smart and innovative technology-driven solutions. I believe that it is these start-ups and businesses that will play a key role in helping the government and institutions in realising the goal of transforming India into a smart and sustainable country."

Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Honourable Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, said, "The government's goal is the holistic development of the nation, which we believe must start with our villages and cities. Smarter villages and cities can not only help in providing higher quality of basic infrastructure such as health and education, but also create job opportunities for marginalised sections of the society and uplift them."

Delivering the inaugural address at the event, H.E. Daniel Carmon, Ambassador of Israel to India, said, "I feel privileged to participate in this prestigious event as Israel joins India for the second time at the One Mega Event. While each country across the world faces unique challenges, they also possess a diverse set of competencies and tools. No country has all the solutions, but with the combined abilities of these various tools and diverse intellectual capital, we can work together to build a better world. Israel has provided various nations with tailored technologies to meet diverse challenges, and I'm proud to see our technological partnership with India reaching new heights."

4th Smart Cities India 2018 Expo, co-organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), NASSCOM Centre of Excellence – IoT and Exhibitions India Group, offers five diverse expos: Smart Cities India, Buildings India, Solar India, Transport India, and Water India. The event saw participation by Indian and international industry experts, and leaders from the city, government and community, who shared their views and proposals to make cities more sustainable, efficient, and transparent.