“Antonis Tritsis” programme funds municipalities in Greece with projects up to 130.000.000€ for Smart Cities, Intelligent Applications, Systems and Platforms

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“Antonis Tritsis” programme funds municipalities in Greece with projects up to 130.000.000€ for Smart Cities, Intelligent Applications, Systems and Platforms

Recently, the Greek Government announced the Special Development Programme for Greek Municipalities named “Antonis Tritsis”. Antonis Tritsis was a visionary Mayor of Athens, who planned and implemented the transformation of Athens to a modern and citizen friendly city.

The 6 priority axes of the programme are:

  • “Civil Protection, Protection of Public Health, Technical Assistance”
  • “Quality of life and proper functioning of cities, rural areas and settlements
  • “Environment”
  • “Digital convergence”
  • “Social cohesion and solidarity”
  • “Education, Culture, Tourism and Sports”

In the context of “Antonis Tritsis” programme and under “Digital convergence” priority, a call for tender was issued on “SMART CITIES, SMART APPLICATIONS, SYSTEMS AND PLATFORMS FOR SECURITY, HEALTH-PROVISION, E-GOVERNMENT, EDUCATION-CULTURE-TOURISM AND ENVIRONMENT, ACTIONS AND MEASURES OF POLICY PROTECTION, PROTECTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND POPULATION FROM THE EXPENDITURE OF THE COVID-19 VIRUS PANDEMIC”.

Its main objective is the digital transformation of Local Government, with the ultimate aim of “improving the quality of life for citizens through the optimal use of information and communication technology tools, the strengthening of the local community through the use of technology that respects the specificities and self-administrative character of the Municipalities and Regions of the country, while promoting the social, economic and political integration of citizens without discrimination, strengthening participatory democracy and open governance in decision-making”.

In summary, some of the eligible actions by sector are:

  • Civil Protection – Security:

– Measures and systems for prevention, monitoring, control, timely information and protection in emergency situations.
– Actions and measures to strengthen administrative capacity to deal with risks.
– Preparation of general contingency and disaster management plans.

  • Mobility:

– Intelligent traffic and public transportation management systems/applications.
– Integration of mild transportation resources, new technologies to inform citizens about public transportation.
– Applications/actions of “sharing mobility”, smart mobility.

  • Health – Welfare:

– Monitoring and communication systems to support alone people who are in need of special monitoring.
– Actions and measures to strengthen administrative capacity to deal with risks.

  • E-Government:

– Serving citizens with e-services and e-Government.
– Digitize files for Local Government Organisations services.

  • Education:

– Procurement and installation of interactive systems.
– Open online access for citizens to municipal libraries.

  • Culture – Tourism:

– Geospatial information of cultural elements.
– Early warning/monitoring systems for citizens – visitors – users.

  • Solid Waste Management – Circular Economy:

– Internet of Things (IoT) systems in waste collection and transport, infrastructure and networks.
– Application/Platform for exchanging economy of available products/materials and “reuse” of devices.

  • Energy:

– Exploitation of geothermal fields and more Renewable Energy Sources.
– Smart distribution – storage – energy consumption systems.

  • Entrepreneurship:

– Cooperation and open data platform/programme between local businesses, universities and municipalities.

  • Agricultural:

– Support of the agricultural sector through e-commerce.
– Applications using Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to support local agricultural production with innovative tools.

From all the above it is more than obvious that in Greece, too, a great effort is being made in order for as many of the cities as possible to be transformed into Smart Cities. This programme will help both municipalities and citizens to better organise themselves in the decade to come, in key areas such as security, mobility, health, e-government, education, culture, the circular economy, energy, entrepreneurship and agricultural sector.

The ability to staff cities and municipalities, with the necessary and specialized personnel, so that on the one hand the planning of actions is functional and innovative, on the other hand the implementation-operation-monitoring-control are carried out with the latest IT technologies, is what will play the decisive role in the implementation of this and other similar programmes in the future.

For that purpose, cities that want to make a difference in the next decade should take for granted that they must staff professionals, who know very well and specialize in Smart Cities area, in key positions such as the Smart City Planner, the Smart City IT Manager and the Smart City IT Officer.

 

Our European project “DevOps Competences for Smart Cities”, came to meet this very need, by creating an education/training programme for professionals who wish to staff one of these 3 key positions in a Smart City. The skills and competences to be acquired will help not only the professionals themselves but also the cities in which they will work, to provide the services that the cities of the future must give to their citizens.

by CitiesNet