Impact Assessment Studies on Smart Cities Mission

Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs

Impact Assessment Studies on Smart Cities Mission

Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore study concludes improvements in Quality of Education through Smart Classrooms

Posted On: 27 DEC 2024 5:12PM by PIB Delhi

• 71 Smart cities developed 9,433 smart classrooms in 2,398 government schools, IIM Bangalore Report
• Reviving the Culture of Public reading spaces: from Srinagar to Chennai, Aurangabad to Aizawl, Smart Cities Mission upgrades Public Education facilities
• Indian Smart Cities Mission uses technology to bridge gaps in public education, IIM Banglaore Impact assessment study
• Nagpur reported a 14% decline in overall crime rates post-implementation of surveillance measures, says IIM Bangalore.
• Chennai’s Edge Analytics for Crime Prevention is a technological leap in urban safety of women as per the IIM Bangalore report.
• IIM Bangalore study highlights, Smart Lighting and Panic Buttons are reducing crime and building safer urban spaces for women.

Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore carried out two studies under SAAR – Sameeksha Series of Smart Cities Mission (SCM) and has concluded improvements in Quality of Education through Smart Classrooms and real-time tracking in incidences of criminal activities in Indian Smart Cities.

The two studies included :

Has there been improvement in Indian Smart Cities towards Quality of Education through Smart Classrooms

Under SAAR – Sameeksha Series of Smart Cities Mission (SCM) launched in Nov 2023, 50 national level impact assessment studies were carried out on Indian smart cities on various themes by twenty-nine (29) premier institutions of India. In this series, a study titled ‘Has there been improvement in Indian Smart Cities towards Quality of Education through Smart Classrooms for Children especially Poor Children, like decline in dropout rate, etc. if any’ was undertaken by Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.

The national level study concluded that 71 cities have developed 9,433 smart classrooms in 2,398 government schools. Introduction of smart classrooms by SCM has led to a 22% increase in overall enrolment as per the data reported by 19 cities between 2015-16 to 2023-24. Detailed City-level analysis was undertaken in Ajmer (Rajasthan), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Tumakuru (Karnataka). Other key outcome of the report includes the following:

1. 41 cities have developed Digital Libraries with a total of 7,809 seating capacity.
2. Study highlights significant impact of Digital Libraries in cities like Raipur and Tumakuru. It provided essential educational resources and supported preparations of competitive exam for students.
3. Training for teachers improved their comfort and preference for using smart classroom facilities, with senior secondary teachers showing the highest comfort levels, as compared with others.
4. Teachers generally agree with the idea that the smart classroom initiative is improving the learning experiences and the student attendance across select smart cities of the country.
5. Introduction of smart solutions at government schools and public libraries (in form of smart classrooms and digital libraries) have facilitated inclusive access to smart education for economically weaker sections.

The Report can be downloaded from the weblink https://www.iimb.ac.in/node/13672

What has been the impact of real-time tracking in incidences of criminal activities in Indian Smart Cities especially crime against women?

Under SAAR – Sameeksha series of Smart Cities Mission (SCM) launched in Nov 2023, 50 national level impact assessment studies were carried out on Indian smart cities on various themes by twenty-nine (29) premier institutions of India. In this series, a study on ‘What has been the impact of real-time tracking in incidences of criminal activities in Indian Smart Cities especially crime against women? was undertaken by IIM Bangalore. The study assesses the impact of security and surveillance measures, including real-time incident tracking, CCTV cameras, IoT-enabled devices, and their integration with Integrated Command and Control Centers (ICCCs) in ensuring urban safety of women and girls. The national level study has focused on smart cities of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Nagpur (Maharashtra), and Tumakuru (Karnataka) for detailed primary impact assessment. Other key outcome of the report includes the following:

1. Across 93 Smart Cities, over 59,802 CCTV cameras and emergency call boxes have been installed, with real-time monitoring system through ICCCs has contributed to a safer urban environment for women. Integration of surveillance systems with police operations has enhanced evidence-based policing nationwide.
2. Chennai and Tumakuru leveraged advanced monitoring systems, integrating safety cameras with ICCCs to assist law enforcement in gathering critical evidence for resolving crimes efficiently.
3. Nagpur reported a 14% decline in overall crime rates post-implementation of surveillance measures.
4. The implementation of smart surveillance systems has reduced instances of harassment, assault and other crimes in areas with robust safety measures. Women in these three cities reported increased confidence in assessing public spaces.

The Report can be downloaded from the weblink https://www.iimb.ac.in/node/13673

SAAR – Sameeksha series:

The Mission launched a platform in 2022, named ‘SAAR’ (Smart Cities & Academia towards Action & Research) to bridge the academia and government to document and research new urban initiatives.

Under the SAAR initiative, the Smart Cities Mission has initiated 50 Impact assessment research studies as “Sameeksha Series”. Twenty-nine premier institutions of India have undertaken these 50 Impact Assessment studies which includes – 6 IIMs, 8 IITs, 3 SPAs and 12 specialized research institutes. The mission offered it data and facilitated on-ground site visits to these institutions, to document the learnings which could be bedrock for future urban development policies. 

Brief – Smart Cities Mission:

Smart Cities Mission (SCM) was launched by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Govt of India on 25 June 2015. The objective of this Mission is to promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of ‘Smart’ Solutions. The mission has undertaken multiple transformative and innovative projects undertaken on-ground, making it the most powerful urban experiment in modern India.

As on November 2024, 91% of the projects under SCM have been completed. The cities under SCM have brought forward several unique, innovative and replicable projects/ models to cater to the local needs of residents. With the mission nearing completion, it is imperative that impact assessment and documentation of the unique solutions undertaken.

***

JN/ SK

(Release ID: 2088429) Visitor Counter : 321