What : The India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) is organized under the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India. This is one of the important activities initiated under the Mission, where pioneering city strategies, projects and ideas are recognized based on innovation, impact and replicability/scalability. The ISAC will recognize and reward cities, projects and innovative ideas that are promoting sustainable development in urban areas in India, as well as stimulating inclusive, equitable, safe, healthy and collaborative cities, thus enhancing quality of life for all

What is in news : The results of ISAC 2020 along with Climate

Smart Cities Assessment Results 2.0 were announced recently

Details :

• Bengaluru city’s Index App, which was developed following the outbreak of COVID-19, has been recognised for using technology to set up the COVID-19 war room. It has been adjudged the winner in the third round.
• Bengaluru bagged three stars with an overall score of 1,271 out of 2,800. It fared fairly well and bagged three stars each in the areas of energy and green building (330/600) and urban planning, green cover and biodiversity (244/500).
• The city also bagged four stars in waste management (395/600), but fared poorly in the areas of mobility and air quality (two stars; 187/500) and water management (one star; 115/600). Tumakuru’s Digital Library Solution also bagged third place in ISAC 2020 under the social aspects category.
• Uttar Pradesh was on Friday ranked the best State, and Indore and Surat were jointly named the best cities

About SMART CITIES MISSION

• The Smart Cities Mission is an innovative and new flagship initiative by the Government of India to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life of people by enabling local development and harnessing technology as a means to create smart outcomes for citizens.
• The Mission will cover 100 cities and its duration will be five years from 2015 to 2020. The Mission is implemented by the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD). SCM will be operated as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) where in the central Government proposes to provide financial support up to Rs. 100 crore per city per year. An equal amount, on a matching basis, will have to be contributed by the State/ULB.