In an attempt to promote a healthy and sustainable food environment as also safe and affordable transport solutions during COVID-19, the ministry of housing and urban affairs has launched the EatSmart Cities Challenge and the 'Transport 4 All Challenge' on April 15.
As many as 11 cities will be selected at the end of the first phase, the ministry said.
The EatSmart Cities challenge is open to all Smart Cities, capital cities of states /UTs, and cities with a population of more than 5 lakh. At the end of first phase of the challenge, 11 cities will be selected for deeper engagement for an extended period to implement their vision.
Minister of housing and urban affairs Hardeep S Puri launched the EatSmart Cities Challenge and Transport 4 All Challengeat at an online event.
“While Covid-19 may have proven to be a hiatus in our efforts of transforming Urban India, it has also provided us an opportunity to concentrate our attention on the need for good health and wellbeing of our cities and citizens,” Puri said.
“It is a matter of pride that today, we see the Eat Right India approach getting scaled up to the smart cities level with the launch of EatSmart Cities Challenge. This movement will nudge the urban populace to make the right food choices and help build a healthier and happier nation. This will complement the remarkable work being done in the Smart Cities Mission,” he said.
Launching the Transport 4 All Challenge, the minister said that COVID-19 has brought the entire world to a halt with transport being one of the worst-hit sectors. “The Transport4All Digital Innovation Challenge will support cities to recover from this mobility crisis,” he added.
Durga Shanker Mishra, secretary, MoHUA was also present at the event.
The EatSmart Cities Challenge aims to motivate Smart Cities to develop a plan that supports a healthy, safe and sustainable food environment supported by institutional, physical, social, and economic infrastructure along with the application of ‘smart’ solutions to combat food related issues. The Transport4All Digital Innovation Challenge aims to develop digital solutions that will make public transport safe, affordable, comfortable, and reliable for all.
The Transport4All Digital Innovation Challenge will help support cities and start-ups all over the country to move towards digital transformation in urban mobility, said Mishra.
Cities, as part of the challenge shall form a Transport4All Task Force (TTF) consisting of key stakeholders vis. Municipal Corporation, Smart City SPV, city bus undertaking, metro and suburban rail, regional transport office, traffic police, road owning agencies, Intermediate Public Transport (IPT) unions, NGOs, and academic institutes working in the field of sustainable transport, the ministry said.
The initiative has been launched in collaboration with ITDP and aims to bring together cities, citizen groups, and start-ups to develop solutions that improve public transport. The first edition of the challenge focuses on digital innovation. Cities and start-ups will receive guidance to develop and test various solutions, learn from them, and scale them to build people’s trust in public transport and enhance their mobility.
The solutions will make public transport both formal as well as informal, safe, convenient, and affordable for all. All the Smart Cities Mission cities, capitals of states and union territories (UTs), and all cities with a population of over 5 lakhs are eligible to participate in the challenge.
The EatSmart Cities Challenge will help in developing the concept of integrating food systems into city planning and development to provide people with healthy, safe, and nourishing diets, the ministry said.
The Eat Right India movement has been initiated by FSSAI under the aegis of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The EatSmart Cities Challenge is envisioned as a competition among cities to recognize their efforts in adopting and scaling up various initiatives under Eat Right India. This challenge is in partnership with Smart Cities Mission.
The 100 Smart Cities Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 25, 2015.
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