Nasscom partners Accenture to form ICT framework for smart cities

New Delhi: Software lobby Nasscom on Wednesday said it has partnered with Accenture Plc to find ways on how information and communications technologies (ICT) can be implemented in different aspects of a smart city.

Nasscom will also work with industry experts to develop the GIS (geographic information system) architecture framework, which will use spatial or geographical data for smart city planning, and Safe City architecture framework, which will integrate safety measures within the 100 smart cities expected to come up in India.

The lobby is working closely with the ministry of urban development to create a sustainable model for smart cities.

The Nasscom-Accenture ICT framework will address “unique challenges faced by the Indian cities” and “provide an integrated perspective across the key pillars of physical infrastructure, social infrastructure, environmental and institutional (governance)”.

“The smart cities initiative is a much needed step as it aims to broad base urban infrastructure in the country. It is imperative that the ICT application/framework is integrated across the key infrastructure and environmental pillars, especially when procured as a component of individual infrastructure pillars,” said R. Chandrashekhar, president, Nasscom.

The software lobby will unveil its report called Integrated ICT and Geospatial Technologies Framework for 100 Smart Cities Mission at the upcoming Smart City Expo in Delhi on 21 May 2015.

“The report aims to demystify the role of ICT and enable state governments and urban local bodies to integrate ICT into their future city master plans. This also represents an opportunity for the industry to partner with the government, as the total ICT spending for smart cities can account for 10-15% of the overall budget. This would translate into as much as $30-40 billion over the next 10 years,” said Chandrashekhar.