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According to Nezar, to become a Smart City, there are several criteria that must be fulfilled, such as smart governance, smart branding, and smart technology.

The government has initiated the Smart City Movement program since 2017. The program was initiated by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology along with the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform, the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Development Planning Agency.

Minister of Communication and Information Technology Nezar Patria stated that more than 250 cities and regencies in Indonesia are part of the Smart City Development Network. According to him, every city deemed suitable to become a Smart City has three parameters: digital connectivity, digital literacy, and the utilization of digital technology.

"Banda Aceh is part of the Smart City Development Network created by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. However, to become a Smart City, there are several criteria that must be fulfilled, such as smart governance, smart branding, and the smart technology used as parameters to determine whether a city is smart enough to utilize that technology," he said during a guest appearance on the Sagoe TV Podcast in Banda Aceh, broadcasted on Saturday (03/30/2024).

Minister Nezar Patria stated that the presence of digital connectivity is a basic prerequisite for Smart City development. He mentioned that currently, about 90% of Indonesia's territory is covered by communication networks, including 2G, 4G, and specifically 5G in several major cities in Indonesia.

"The internet penetration rate is also increasing over time, with now around more than 80% penetration from 287 million people. I believe that with such conditions, we can imagine an information society growing and developing within a digital community ecosystem," he said.

Furthermore, the Minister of Communication and Information Technology stated that digital literacy is an important criterion in supporting the Smart City program, in addition to the supporting facilities provided by local governments.

"Most importantly, it's about how smart education is provided to the community so that they can access technology better. Therefore, there needs to be digital literacy education so that people can utilize digital information flows positively," he said.

To support the development of Smart Cities, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has prepared various digital initiative programs by aligning them with the needs of the community to become more productive. Minister Nezar Patria cited the development of digital talent, the ecosystem of domestic startups, and information and communication technology infrastructure as examples.

IN