Bengaluru residents gear up for 'Civic Challenge'

US-based high-technology systems and services major, United Technologies Corporation has announced the launch of its sustainable urbanization project, Citizens for the City (www.citizensforthecity.in) by introducing India's first ever Neighbourhood Improvement Partnership Challenge to Bengaluru.

UTC's Citizens for the City project will aid planned urban growth by bringing together stakeholders in sustainable urban planning through research, reports, competitions and other initiatives.

The Neighbourhood Improvement Partnership Challenge (The Challenge) encourages citizens to come together to resolve civic issues in the areas of mobility, hygiene and sanitation, safety and energy conservation.

The best projects to be selected by an eminent jury panel, will share the Citizens for the City Grant, worth INR 1 crore.

The Challenge, under the banner of Citizens for the City, is being implemented by the Centre for Public Problem Solving (CPPS), a division of Imagine Bangalore with support from EMBARQ India.

CPPS is a think tank working towards a collaborative approach for problem solving of urban issues. The Challenge will also bring together several organisations like BBMP and BPAC involved in resolving the city's civic and urban issues.

UTC is funding this program through a leading non-profit organization, United Way of Bengaluru.

The campaigns surrounding The Challenge will include several on-the-ground and digital initiatives to encourage citizens to submit projects and execute them. A panel of jurists will evaluate these campaigns on the basis of the identified parameters including community building, innovative solutions, execution quotient and budget planning.

Announcing the initiative, Chris Rao, Vice President & Country Head, UTC Aerospace Systems, India, said, "Sustainable urbanization is no longer a buzzword; it is an imperative in urban planning and development. Our endeavor through UTC's Citizens for the City Campaign is to identify exciting projects that touch urban lives, and make them a reality through technical, financial and logistical support.

"In many ways, The Challenge urges citizens to think of utilizing existing resources in an optimal way for our immediate needs, keeping in mind needs of the future generation," he added.

"Each day, 800 people come to Bengaluru. The resulting demands on public infrastructure, public services, and many other aspects of life in the city are high. The ability of government agencies to provide these services is increasingly stretched. The Challenge will begin to foster a culture of engagement and ownership in neighborhood improvement projects that are ideated by the people, for their community," said Kalpana Kar, Founder Member, CPPS.

"Given UTC's focus on sustainability and the energy challenges faced by the India, the Neighbourhood Improvement Partnership Challenge encourages innovative ideas to reduce the overall energy footprint of neighbourhoods, and it will address mobility, safety and sanitation issues. The purpose of this initiative is to empower the beneficiaries to become agents of change in society," said Ashok Mirchandani, Managing Director, Carrier Transicold, Asia Pacific.