India's dynamic Prime minister Mr. Narendra Modi, is a man driven by the vision of establishing India Inc. as a global economic power. Digital India, E-governance and 'Make in India' initiatives have brought the necessary impetus to the industry and economic growth. As a result India is witnessing a massive shift towards urbanisation.

Today, nearly 40% of India's population is living in the cities and is on a rise due to constant influx. The severity of the situation is such that by 2022 it is estimated that shortage of urban housing will reach nearly 34.1 million units.¹

Realising the irreparable drain it would cause on the natural resources and the long-term danger of unplanned expansion, the hon'ble prime minister has laid his vision of smart cities and sustainable urban development across India.

The key to this vision is the contribution of the citizens of urban India in formulation the development vision of their cities. This is a great step towards people-centric development for urban areas in India.

Pressing the urgent need for efficient use of available resources to enhance the quality of life within urban India, Mr.Modi urges to see urban development in India as an opportunity and urban centres as engines of growth for the nation.

Therefore, a holistic development approach of the nation's urban areas is a step towards better outcomes.

Hitachi, the global tech conglomerate shares Mr. Modi's vision that smart cities are key to achieving sustainable development goals in India.

Hitachi through its superior IT and OT based products and solutions is driving Social Innovation and helping India in a broad range of key sectors that include digitalisation, E-governance, data analytics, infrastructure, power electronics and power through recyclable resources like Sun, automotive sector and end-to-end solution in mass urban transport like railways. Energy and water management are other critical areas where Hitachi's superior products and original technologies are partnering the government's vision to make India's cities smarter, safer and environment friendly.

Source:
1 - http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/real-estate/urban-housing-shortage-to-touch-34-crunits-by-2022-report/article6901847.ece