Low Carbon Urban Infrastructure Investment in Asian Cities

SMART CITIES IN JAPAN AND THEIR APPLICATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 105

both private and public, to developing countries. The City of Yokohama
has previously worked with the City of Cebu in the Philippines, with the
City of Danang in Vietnam, and with the City of Bangkok in Thailand
through this scheme, and the city seeks additional international collabora-
tions supported by accumulated knowledge on SCs.
SC concepts, although generally used to refer to technological supply–
demand ancillary control, have broader attributes that involve promot-
ing the effi cient allocation of energy and environmental resources. Based
on this broader understanding, this chapter explores a bold comparison
between Yokohama (as an example of a developed city) and cities in India
with a focus on how new technologies can contribute to the effective dis-
tribution of electricity to the poorest residents.

6.5 PRESENT INFRASTRUCTURAL CONDITIONS

IN THE POOREST REGIONS OF INDIA

This section discusses developing world conditions and considers SC appli-
cation opportunities and bottlenecks with a focus on India. It describes
features in four sectors and three fi elds that can be compared easily with
those of the Yokohama case study.

6.5.1 Slums in India

According to the 2011 census, India’s urban population reached 377
million (roughly 32 % of the total population of India) (Census-of-India
2011 ). About one-fourth of the urban population (≈93 million) lives in
49,000 slums across the country (NBO 2010 ). Slums are a manifestation
of housing poverty. The proliferation of slums and severe housing short-
ages (over 24 million) offer a panoramic view of housing poverty condi-
tions (NBO 2007 ). Various government reports describe slum population
growth, housing shortages, and severe urban poverty (head count) trends
throughout the country.
Table  6.3 describes three types of slums: slums, unidentifi ed slums, and
squatter settlements. A slum is a compact settlement with a collection of
poorly built tenements that are typically temporary in nature and that
are crowded closely together. Slums are characterized by inadequate sani-
tary and drinking water facilities found in unhygienic conditions within a
compact area. Such areas, for the purposes of this survey, were considered
“slums” if at least 20 households were found in a given area.