Myanmar OKs plan to transform Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Mandalay into smart cities
17 December 2019
The government will transform the country’s three key cities – Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Mandalay – into smart cities, a minister said Monday.
U Han Zaw, minister of Construction, said the plan is being carried out with the support of local and foreign businesses.
“We will start by looking at the requirements of each city,” he said at a conference on National Urban Policy in Nay Pyi Taw. “We will carry out the Korea-Myanmar Industrial Complex in Yangon, the New Mandalay Resort City in Mandalay, and Smart District Project as national projects in cooperation with local and foreign businesses,” he said.
He said the urbanisation and influx of people from rural areas to the three cities, and their lack of infrastructure, make them vulnerable to disasters.
“It is essential that the government stipulate urban policies to utilise farmland, mitigate the effects of disaster, and to achieve sustainable and equal development,” he added.
He noted the importance of seamless communication in urban and rural communities.
According to the Myanmar urban research survey, the population of urban areas will reach about 20 million in 2030, increasing by 30 percent from 15.4 million in 2014.
Likewise, a study by the McKinsey research group, predicted that the population of cities with more than 2 million people could double by 2030.
“We need to invest US$146 billion in 20 years for the development of the urban areas, or more than $7 billion a year,” U Han Zaw said.
He said the government will implement a strong national urban policy to develop sustainable cities across the country.
“Smart solutions use information and communications technology to connect government services in urban areas,” he said, which improves administration and delivery of basic services.
“Smart city projects should be part of urban planning,” he said.
Source: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-oks-plan-three-smart-cities.html
