In 2007 the mineral depletion rate to gross national income ratio of India was 0.7% which was on the higher side as compared to the global average of 0.4% but in other developing countries the ratio was much higher than of India like in China and Russia it was 1.3% and in Brazil 1.6%.
World Bank Report
Today, technology affects every aspect of our life. It has changed the way we work at our workplace – having replaced the older hard-bound files with documents residing in our laptops. In fact, technology is no longer restricted to the workplace these days; it has permeated to our personal lives as well.
For dwellers in a city, use of technology has implications on citizen security, intelligent transport systems, utilities management and resource recycling. Many cities in India already have a network of CCTV (closed circuit television) cameras monitoring spurious activities at major places like airports, railway stations & shopping malls.
Apart from such technology interventions in public places, our homes are also increasingly becoming tech-dependent for ensuring security of their residents. According to a Frost & Sullivan study in 2008, the electronic security market in India is around INR 1,000 Crores and expected to grow at 40% over the next 3 years. Gadgets like video door phones & burglar alarm systems are finding their way to Indian homes to aid in either prevention or early detection of intrusion. As markets mature, India would see more sophisticated gadgets that can transmit information in the event of a burglary or a fire breakdown and initiate appropriate response in the form of contacting police/ambulance/fire brigade/etc.
Technology in transportation systems
World over transport systems are undergoing radically transformations with the advent of technology. Traffic lights that sense traffic at nearby traffic junctions to ascertain the optimum stop time, replacing long ticket queues to get a metro ticket with magnetic stripe cards, detection systems that toll the usage of your cars automatically etc. While some of these are already underway in some cities in India, we have a long way to go before our cities can be called cities of the future.
Technology in utilities
Utilities such as electricity and water will benefit the most with the introduction of technology in monitoring and bill collections. According to an Assocham Eco Pulse study, a third of investment in power in India will evaporate, if we transmission systems are not upgraded and theft is not curtailed. Use of solar power for water heating requirements, grey water for non-potable water uses is slowly gaining popularity in India. It is the advancement in technology coupled with reduction in prices that has led to these technologies being accessible to the wider public.
Technology as a service delivery platform
Using technology as service delivery platform in Indian cities is a concept that is yet to catch on. While in the USA a third of the consumers would prefer a technology enabled means of paying their bills, in India this trend would take some time to catch up given the computer penetration levels. Technology can not only make the payment of utilities’ bills easier but also help in slashing them. Intelligent switching systems automatically turn off light in rooms where no human activity is detected for a pre-set period of time.
Moreover, e-platforms can be used to engage citizens through feedback surveys, chat sessions, sharing of information about the local government and issues etc.