Surat Muncipal corporation (SMC) and Microsoft India announced a partnership to transform Surat into a smart city.
One of the early adopters of technology and e-governance, SMC partnered with Microsoft to automate processes and citizen services. The partnership aims to make citizen services more responsive, increase efficiency and productivity of administration departments to engage with citizens in new and innovative ways, increase transparency with open data and expand digital inclusion with access to online services and digital literacy training.
“Surat is the fourth fastest growing city in the world, with a population of 50 lakh. It is a vibrant business hub and it serves as the economic hub for several industries. In this context, it becomes increasingly important to leverage technology as an enabler of constant modernization. We are excited to partner with Microsoft to transform Surat into a sustainable and competitive city that cares for its citizens,†said Milind Torawane, Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Surat municipal commissioner.
SMC commissioner, Milind Torawane IAS said that Surat is the 4th fastest growing city in the world with a population of 50 lakhs and a vibrant business hub and it serves as the economic hub for several industries. In this context, it becomes increasingly important to leverage technology as an enabler of constant modernization.
SMC has already worked with Microsoft on implementing several e-governance and citizen-centric services like property tax and revenue collections, birth and death registration, vaccination alert systems, as well as a customized platform for Surat city’s police department in collaboration with Surat traffic education trust, which assists the city police to effectively monitor and respond to security and crime threats in a timely manner.
“Our global experience in implementing this program in cities around the world – from Paris to Chicago – puts us in a unique position to contribute to Surat. This can serve as a model for other Indian cities, in line with the Indian government’s vision of 100 smart cities,†said Neeraj Gill, general manager—public sector, Microsoft India.
India’s urban population is projected to grow from 340 million in 2008 to 590 million in 2030, according to a 2010 McKinsey and Company study. By 2050, nearly 70 percent of the global population will live in cities. Through its CityNext initiative, Microsoft India integrates information technology and human engagement to address infrastructural challenges and create new opportunities for economic growth and improved competitiveness overall.
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