• The MoUD also released the City Livability Index, which is a set of indicators to assess the livability standards in cities.
• The index shall rate cities in terms of development and how livable they are based on four broad pillars: physical (45 per cent), institutional (25 per cent), social (25 per cent) and economic (5 per cent).
• Some of the parameters on the basis of which the livability in cities shall be assessed include: governance, health, safety and security, education, solid waste management and waste water management among other others.

30 New Smart Cities

• On the occasion of completion of two years of Smart Cities Mission (SCM) and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) announced the new batch of smart cities at a National Workshop on Urban Transformation.
• The government had launched its flagship “100 Smart Cities Mission” in 2015.
• As of now, 90 cities (10 in the first round, 13 in the fast track round, 27 in the second round and 30 in the third round) have been selected as smart cities.
• In the third round of the Smart Cities selection, the Centre had shortlisted 45 cities, out of which, 30 have been selected
• Creating smart cities would entail development of basic infrastructure like adequate water supply, electricity supply, sustainable sanitation and solid waste management mechanism, efficient urban mobility, affordable housing and ensuring robust IT connectivity and e-governance.
• The mission aims to build and transform urban India.

Source: Down to Earth