Context: Recently, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) 2.0, along with the ‘Streets for People Challenge’. 

Key Points
CSCAF 2.0:

• Objective: To provide a clear roadmap for cities towards combating Climate Change while planning and implementing their actions, including investments.
• CSCAF initiative intends to inculcate a climate-sensitive approach to urban planning and development in India.

Framework: It has 28 indicators across five categories namely;

• Energy and Green Buildings,
• Urban Planning, Green Cover & Biodiversity,
• Mobility and Air Quality,
• Water Management and
• Waste Management.

Implementing Agency: The Climate Centre for Cities under National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is supporting MoHUA in implementation of CSCAF.
Streets for People Challenge

• Aim: It aims to inspire cities to create walking-friendly and vibrant streets.
• Eligibility: All cities with a population of over 5 lakh, and capital cities, can apply.

It includes

• Creating pedestrian-friendly streets in high footfall areas,
• Re-imagining under-flyover spaces,
• Re-vitalizing dead neighbourhood spaces, and
• Creating walking links through parks and institutional areas.

Supporting Partners

• Fit India Mission, under Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports,
• The India program of the Institute for Transport Development and Policy (ITDP).
• ITDP works around the world to design and implement high quality transport systems and policy solutions that make cities more livable, equitable, and sustainable. It was set up in 1985 and is headquartered in New York, USA
• The India Program works with cities to design and implement sustainable transport projects, and provide policy solutions to enhance social inclusion, reduce dependency on limited resources, improve road safety, and reduce carbon emissions.

Background: Cities around the world, such as Bogota, Berlin, and Milan have responded by transforming streets for walking and cycling, to ensure safe mobility during Covid-19.

• The Smart Cities Mission is also associated with India 4 cycles challenge method, that aims to inspire Indian cities to implement quick cycling-friendly interventions in the wake of Covid-19 with the support of their citizens and assistance from experts.

Smart Cities Mission

• It is an innovative initiative under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, 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.
• It was launched in the year 2015 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Objective: 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.

Strategy:

• Pan-city initiative in which at least one Smart Solution is applied city-wide.
• Develop areas step-by-step with the help of these three models:
• Retrofitting.
• Redevelopment.
• Greenfield.