CITIIS 2.0 is true to spirit of ‘Mindful and Deliberate Utilisation’: EU Envoy Herve Delphin

New Delhi [India], November 16 (ANI): EU Ambassador to India, Herve Delphin, said that the CITIIS 2.0 (City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0) is true to the spirit of ‘Mindful and Deliberate Utilisation, instead of Wasteful Consumption’ as described by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the LiFE Mission.

He made the remarks at the launch of CITIIS 2.0 initiative. The initiative was approved by the Union cabinet in May this year.

This programme is conceived by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, in partnership with the French Development Agency, Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau, the European Union, and National Institute of Urban Affairs.

Addressing the event, Delphin said, “India has been home to some of the oldest urban civilisations in the world and contributed greatly to human and urban development. Today India has become the most populous country in the world. And is also home to one of the fastest rural-to-urban transitions in human history”.

“By 2050, the number of people living in urban centres in India will double to reach USD 900 million – this means an increase equivalent to the entire population of the European Union!” he added.

He said that the first phase of CITIIS project, which will be completed next year, paved the way for the adaptation of 12 smart cities across India and supported a broad range of innovative actions.

“The first phase of the “CITIIS” project, which started in 2018, was an accelerator of change and adaptation for 12 smart cities across India. It supported a broad range of innovative actions from creating green open spaces, promoting electric mobility and non-motorised corridors, upgrading the municipal schools with latest ICT infrastructure, just to name a few,” the EU envoy said.

“This first phase of city projects, will come to completion next year! Today we meet to kick start CITIIS Phase 2. Phase 2 is doubling down in every respect,” he added.

Emphasising the allocations of phase 2, the EU envoy said that this time it is twice as big in terms of technical assistance as the previous

“Phase 2 is doubling down in every respect. It is twice bigger in terms of financing committed by EU MS Financing Institutions, 200 million Euro in loans (Rs 1760 crore) and twice bigger in terms of technical assistance grant provided by the European Union committing EUR 12 million (Rs 106 crores),” Delphin said.

He added, “It will almost double the number of cities involved. CITIIS will also double down with its focus on sustainable urbanisation and waste management, true to the spirit of ‘Mindful and Deliberate Utilisation, instead of Wasteful Consumption’ as PM Modi described the LiFE Mission and the Clean India and Circular Economy Missions”.

The EU Envoy further said that the EU and India are working to create “greener, cleaner, diverse, inclusive, well organised, more liveable and attractive” cities for tomorrow.

“Problems have solutions. Challenges can be turned into opportunities. CITIIS 2.0, aims to provide Indian smart cities with both financial means and an Integrated Waste Management approach, acting on supply, on demand, on infrastructures and policies,” Delphin said.

He added, “EU and India are working together to create cities of tomorrow – greener, cleaner, diverse, inclusive, well organized, more liveable and attractive. Smart cities for smart Indian urbanites! CITIIS 2.0 is an iconic and a centrepiece of this wider approach of India’s urban future, with Team Europe standing closely on its side! I wish Indian Smart cities a bright future and a successful engagement in CITIIS 2.0”.