Bloomberg Philanthropies to partner govt in smart city mission

Bloomberg Philanthropies, a United States-based foundation, will collaborate with the Indian government for the smart city mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.
Collaboration between the Ministry of Urban Development and Bloomberg Philanthropies for the Cities Challenge, announced today, is a result of two meetings between Prime Minister Modi and Michael Bloomberg, its founder and former New York Mayor, Bloomberg Philanthropies said in a statement.
Launching the smart city mission today, Modi announced that the government will set up 100 smart cities across the country.
A competition is designed to inspire and support municipal officials as they develop smart proposals to improve residents' lives in their respective cities.

A new Cities Challenge website, which will allow the public to track competition progress, was launched today at www.Smartcitieschallenge.In, it added.
"Prime Minister Modi recognises the vital role cities can play in building a strong future for India, especially if local innovation is encouraged and rewarded.
"Through our work around the globe, we have seen how effective challenges can be in helping cities design and deliver better ideas," said Bloomberg Philanthropies' founder Michael R Bloomberg.