Sweden offers its expertise for developing smart cities in India

NEW DELHI: Sweden has offered its expertise and technology in environment-friendly public transport and solid waste management for developing smart cities in India.

This emerged during a meeting of Sweden Minister of European Union Affairs and Trade Ann Linde and Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu here today.

Sweden has evinced a keen interest in partnering with India for development of smart cities, an official release said.

"Sweden has suggested a Common Plan of Action for applying its expertise and technology in promoting sustainable and green-friendly public transport solutions besides solid waste management in smart cities," it added.

The visiting Swedish minister said her country is a global leader in waste management, urban mobility solutions, smart parking systems and air filtration -- which are integral to smart city plans of Indian cities.

She said that a Swedish company SCANIA would soon be operating 55 ethanol-based buses in Nagpur.

Stressing that the mission offers ample investment opportunities to Indian and foreign companies, Naidu said the smart cities could benefit from Swedish technologies, particularly in the areas of public transport and solid waste management.