Belagavi Smart City wins award

The city has been placed in the first position for its multi-dimensional inclusiveness in education and healthcare’

Senior citizens at the Ravindra Kaushik Memorial Library that has an e-library and a learning centre for children built by Smart City Ltd. in Belagavi. | Photo Credit: File Photo

Belagavi Smart City has won the top award in the inclusiveness category in the prestigious United Nations and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) Smart Solutions Challenge for Inclusive Cities.

Belagavi has been placed in the first position for its Multi-Dimensional Inclusiveness in Education and Healthcare.

“We are very excited about achieving this recognition. Belagavi stands tall in inclusivity. All our projects over the past seven years have been focusing on facilities for the elderly, women, girls, children, and the specially abled. We recognised that inclusivity in any project is as fundamental as cement and brick to a building. We have to look beyond. We looked up to technology enabling us. And we succeeded,’’ Praveen Bagewadi, managing director of Belagavi Smart City.

Smart City Integrated Command Control Center provides Smartness-as-a-Service, a boon to social entrepreneurs, said Dr. Bagewadi.

Ahay Patil, MLA, congratulated the officers for the award. “Some people were sceptical about spending a large amount of money to set up a park and recreation area for special-needs children. But we went ahead with the Mahatma Phule Park for the Specially Abled. It aims to cater to the needs of over 2,200 specially abled autistic children and citizens. We recognised the need of these children and their families. Now, the park is not only a fun place, but also a therapy centre,’’ he said.

“The Ravindra Kaushik e-Library is serving the purpose of fulfilling inclusiveness parameters. The e-library is probably the most advanced such facility in the country. Here we have e-books co-authored by artificial intelligence and humans and for dyslexic, ADHD and blind citizens, and children. We have language learning facilities for the elderly, women, girls, and challenged children. It helps senior citizens too,’’ the MLA said.

“The children zone identifies cognitive deficiencies, and measures, monitors, and manages cognitive skills using cognitive neuroscience techniques. A team of pedagogists work with children. We have requested the Smart City officers to set up more such centres,’’ the MLA said.