India has built a reputation as a global leader in pursuing smart city initiativesin its larger urban areas. But critics are worried that villages, where most of the Indian population still resides, are being forgotten in the rush to convert the big metropolises into connected cities.

The villager is strongly attracted to the city and is too bored to live in a village, whereas the urbanite is tired of ‘stressful city life’ and literally looking for greener pastures. Thus is the link between cities and villages.

Why smart cities needs to be linked to India’s villages:-

Smart villages lead to sustainability:-

• Must give top priority to the development of ‘smart villages’ as preserving the sustainability of villages will positively impact cities in the long run.
• Villages rather than cities need to be made smart for the overall progress and development of the country. Without making the villages smart, nation cannot become developed and progressive.
• By making available new-age technology, the government will enable village farmers produce better.

Ease stress on cities and encourage reverse migration:-

• Creation of opportunities for youths in villages will thereby discouraging migration to cities easing pressure on cities.
• The arts and crafts ecosystem of villages is impossible to recreate in cities. A great deal of export potential is hidden here.
• Smart villages can translate into improved farm productivity, water conservation and economic independence to village youth. It makes great social, economic and political sense.
• On the other hand, if villages are developed as growth centres of a city, there would be a lot of incentive to remain there. Developing smart villages will be actually a tool to balance the skewed urban-rural population ratio of the country.
• By moving people and businesses to smart villages, revenue, resources and job opportunities will increase in rural India, while cities can decongest.

Lack of facilities in villages :-

• There is a stark contrast in basic facilities and infrastructure between rural and urban areas. The solution is not to stop improving urban facilities, but to ensure that rural areas get as much attention.
• Developing villages is in line with the concept called Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA).This is the approach needed right now to upgrade infrastructure in the rural hinterland. That is, to provide the same amenities in the rural heartland as in metropolitan areas.
• Vast majority of Indians live in villages, with 70% of India’s 1.25 billion people considered villagers.
• Because the bulk of Indians live in villages governments are neglecting a critical opportunity to both improve economic potential and basic services by creating smart villages. Most villages lack essential infrastructure like roads, electricity and drinking water.

Facilities available in cities must be made available to villages. The idea is that the soul of a village is retained while amenities of cities are provided.

Smart cities alone is not enough .They need smart villages:-

• Smart City initiative, which is promoted by central governments is insufficient and inadequate for the country’s smaller population centers.

The current policy framework for power that emphasises renewable energy as a strategic policy to reduce GHGs in India requires a strong link between state-level policy and the provision of off-grid electricity to all rural households. This can be provided by developing a policy model that builds on smart cities–smart villages linkages.

How to achieve the goal:

1. Farming should be made a remunerative occupation, with guidance and mentoring to small farmers on how to get the best yield and market at remunerative prices. It’s important to train them to develop a secondary source of income.
2. The government should launch a national programme whereby they take infrastructure to the villages in exchange for subsidised markets for the private sector
3. The benefits of schemes such as crop insurance, soil health card, and neem pesticides must reach the grassroots. Proper implementation is key.
4. Projects supported by Digital India and Skill India should be integrated through a unified agency to reach villages.