Smart Cities Mission: The central government clarified on Monday in the Rajya Sabha that there is no current proposal to expand the ambit of the "Smart Cities Mission" (SCM) to include additional cities beyond the 100 already selected. The clarification came in response to queries about whether the government plans to identify and develop another set of 100 Smart Cities under the ambitious scheme.
"At present, there is no proposal under consideration of the Central Government to extend the existing SCM by including additional cities," MoS Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu said in his written reply in the upper house of the Parliament.
Objectives of 'Smart Cities Mission'
Launched in 2015, the "Smart Cities Mission" has a central outlay of Rs 48,000 crore aimed at transforming 100 cities into hubs of sustainable and efficient urban living. As of November 11, 2024, a total of Rs 88,177 crore has been disbursed to states and union territories under the initiative, with Rs 82,351 crore reportedly utilised.
Progress under the mission has been substantial, with work orders issued for 8,066 projects worth Rs 1,64,669 crore. Of these, 7,352 projects, accounting for 91 per cent of the total, have been completed, amounting to an investment of Rs 1,47,366 crore. These projects span diverse areas such as smart governance, mobility, sustainable infrastructure, and digital integration.
The remaining 714 projects amounting to Rs 17,303 crore are currently in implementation stage, the ministry apprised the upper house through his written reply. The central government views high urbanization as an opportunity towards aspirations of faster economic development. However, there are challenges. The challenges encountered in implementing smart city projects include inter alia, legal issues, delay in obtaining clearances from different departments, land acquisition, construction in hilly areas, challenges in vendor and resource availability in small and medium cities, and centralisation of decision-making in a few cities, among others.
Smart Cities Mission
The "Smart Cities Mission" was launched on June 25, 2015, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It aims to enhance the quality of life in 100 selected cities by providing efficient services, robust infrastructure, and a sustainable environment. The mission has played a pivotal role in redefining urban spaces by integrating technology, enhancing infrastructure, and addressing the challenges of urbanisation.
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