India Plans to Build 100 'Smart' Cities

印度计划建立100个“智能”城市

Many of India’s biggest cities are struggling. They have too many people and not enough places for them to work, live and play. They often lack services, including effective public transportation and recreational areas, like parks.

许多印度大城市的人都活得很挣扎。人太多了，以至于没有足够的地方供所有的人工作，生活和娱乐。他们往往缺少服务，包括有效的公共交通和休闲区，比如公园。

The number of people living in cities in the fast-growing nation is expected to rise to 814 million by 2050. This kind of sharp growth is known as “mass urbanization.” It has happened before only in China.

在这个人口快速增长的国家，城市人口的数量到2050年会增加到8.14亿。这种急剧增长被称为“大规模的城市化”。这之前只在中国发生过。

To deal with the predicted growth, India will build many “smart cities.” These cities will have clean water, waste collection and a power center. These are luxuries for many Indians.

为了处理预测到的人口增长，印度将建立许多的“智能城市”。这些城市会提供干净的水，废物收集和权利中心。这些对于许多印度人来说很奢侈。

A year ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a plan to build 100smart cities by 2022, at a cost of one trillion dollars. He hopes the construction of the cities will provide jobs for the one million Indians who join the work force every month.

一年前，首相Narendra Modi宣布到2022年印度将花费1万亿美元建立100个智能城市的计划。他希望城市的建设可以每个月使100万印度人有工作。

The first smart city is near Gandhinagar, the capital of the state of Gujarat. It is called Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, or GIFT. The Indian government hopes it will be a model for future Indian cities.

第一个智能城市位于古吉拉特邦的首府甘地纳格尔附近。被称为“古吉拉特邦国际科技金融中心”或者“GIFT”印度政府希望这个城市成为以后建设城市的典范。

Officials hope to persuade banks and other businesses to open in GIFT. To do that, the government is reducing their taxes and giving them other financial benefits.

官方希望说服更多的银行和工商业入住GIFT。为此，政府会减少税收给他们很多经济利益。

I’m Jonathan Evans.

我是Jonathan Evans。

India Plans to Build 100 'Smart' Cities

Many of India’s biggest cities are struggling. They havetoo many people and not enough places for them towork, live and play. They often lack services, including effective public transportation and recreational areas,like parks.

The number of people living in cities in the fast-growingnation is expected to rise to 814 million by 2050. Thiskind of sharp growth is known as “mass urbanization.” It has happened before only in China.

A worker folds the cable of a welding machine in front of two office buildings at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) at Gandhinagar, in the western Indian state of Gujarat, April 10, 2015.

To deal with the predicted growth, India will build many “smart cities.” Thesecities will have clean water, waste collection and a power center. These areluxuries for many Indians.

A year ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a plan to build 100smart cities by 2022, at a cost of one trillion dollars. He hopes theconstruction of the cities will provide jobs for the one million Indians who jointhe workforce every month.

The first smart city is near Gandhinagar, the capital of the state of Gujarat. It is called Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, or GIFT. The Indiangovernment hopes it will be a model for future Indian cities.

Officials hope to persuade banks and other businesses to open in GIFT. Todo that, the government is reducing their taxes and giving them other financialbenefits.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

The Reuters news agency reported this story. Jonathan Evans wrote it for VOA Learning English. Christopher Jones-Cruise was the editor.

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Words in This Story

urbanization – n. the process by which towns and cities are formed andbecome larger as more and more people begin living and working in centralareas

luxury – n. something that is helpful or welcome and that is not usually oralways available

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