France has officially announced a Euro100 million loan to bolster India's prominent Smart Cities Mission, extending its support to the CITIIS 2.0 program
French President Emmanuel Macron (R) with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L). Pic/AFP
France has officially announced a Euro100 million loan to bolster India's prominent Smart Cities Mission, extending its support to the CITIIS 2.0 program, stated a report in ANI.
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According to the report, France's Minister of State for Development, Francophonie, and International Partnerships, disclosed the conclusion of a loan agreement valued at €100 million between the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Indian government.
This loan is dedicated to enhancing India's innovative Smart Cities Mission, building on the foundation of the CITIIS 1 program, the report added. CITIIS 1.0, launched in 2018, has already benefited 12 city-level projects by strengthening their capabilities and implementing inventive solutions for sustainable mobility, public spaces, urban e-governance, ICT, and social and organizational innovations in low-income areas.
According to the report, the CITIIS 2.0 program is focused on circular economy and integrated solid waste management. It continues the successful approach of its predecessor with an increased budget of Euro 212 million, including contributions from Germany's Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW) and a Euro12 million grant from the European Union as part of its Global Gateway strategy, the ANI report further read.
Reportedly, Hardeep Singh Puri, India's Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, highlighted the challenge of solid waste management in Indian cities, emphasizing the need for proper collection, segregation, recycling, and treatment of waste. He noted the role the private sector can play in these ambitious efforts.
Minister Chrysoula Zacharopoulou expressed pride in France's support for the program, emphasizing its potential to create cleaner, greener, and more sustainable Indian cities while addressing waste management and environmental concerns. She noted the positive impact on citizens and the alignment with the European Union's Global Gateway strategy.
Shrysoula said, "France, together with Team Europe, is proud to support this programme, which will be key in building cleaner, greener, and more sustainable cities in India. The innovative CITIIS approach not only mitigates the health and environmental impact of waste but also creates economic opportunities and a positive social impact on citizens. This project is also emblematic of how the European Union's flagship Global Gateway strategy can support key partners, such as India, in reconciling economic development with environment protection while building the infrastructure of tomorrow."
Seppo Nurmi, Charge d'Affaires a.i. at the Delegation of the EU, underlined the importance of sustainable models for urban growth and praised the CITIIS 2.0 project as part of the EU's commitment to help Indian cities become self-reliant and future-ready. He highlighted India's significance as a partner under the Global Gateway Strategy.
"For both EU and India, cities are the engine of growth but need to adapt sustainable models to be able to address climate change and environmental challenges. This project addresses that precisely, with the EU mobilizing investments from Team Europe for a transformational impact. The EU is happy to continue providing technical support to Indian cities in their journey to become self-reliant and future-ready," said Nurmi, adding, "India is a key partner for us under Global Gateway Strategy and CITIIS 2.0 is yet another project that highlights our mutual commitment to build sustainable and trusted infrastructure."
With ANI inputs
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