Companies in the UK can contribute to the development of smart cities in India, according to Andrew McAllister, the British Deputy High Commissioner here.
Speaking at a press conference after the closure of a round table on smart cities and inclusion organised jointly by the Deputy High Commission and Foundation for Futuristic Cities here on Tuesday, he said the UK was excited about smart cities in India.
It may be noted here that the Central government will be developing 100 smart cities across the country.
“I believe we have a lot to offer,’’ the British official said, adding that his country had expertise in urban design and development and there were over 66,000 architects, 12,000 enterprises and 1.97 lakh civil engineers in the UK.
“I expect them to play a major role in the development of smart cities here,’’ he said.
When asked on the implications of the recent look east policy of India and greater reliance on countries like Singapore and Thailand for urban development, he said the Central and State governments should keep their options open.
“Many countries will come forward. The fact is no country has exclusive expertise. We need to have a choice,’’ he said.
The UK is the largest G-20 investor in India and top destination for Indian companies investing in Europe, McAllister added.
Karuna Gopal, President, Foundation for Futuristic Cities, said the smart cities should be made inclusive with special focus on women, senior citizens, children and the poor.