Status of India's Smart Cities Mission

• 14 Nov 2023

Source: IE

Why in News?

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs's latest data, as of 3rd November 2023, provides insights into the status of India's Smart Cities Mission.

• With the mission's deadline approaching in June 2024, the analysis showcases top-performing cities, financial milestones, and regional variations in project completion.

What are the Key Findings Regarding the Status of India's Smart Cities Mission?

• Leading Cities in Completion of Projects:
  • Surat (Gujarat) emerges as the top-performing city, leading in the completion of projects, fund utilization, and overall criteria.
  • Agra (Uttar Pradesh(UP)), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Varanasi (UP), and Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) secure positions in the top five cities, showcasing commendable progress.
  • The rest of the top 10 include Tumakuru (Karnataka), Udaipur (Rajasthan), Madurai (Tamil Nadu), Kota (Rajasthan) and Shivamogga (Karnataka).
• Regional Disparities:
  • Union Territories (UTs) and cities in Northeastern states find themselves in the bottom 10.
    • The bottom 10 cities are Kavaratti (Lakshadweep), Puducherry, Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), Imphal (Manipur), Shillong (Meghalaya), Diu, Guwahati (Assam), Aizawl (Mizoram), Gangtok (Sikkim) and Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh).
  • Sources attribute the slower progress in smaller cities to capacity constraints, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies to address the unique challenges faced by these urban centers.
• Overall Project Landscape:
  • About 22% of total projects (1,745 of 7,947) that account for 33% out of Rs 1.70 lakh crore) of the total cost are still ongoing. The majority of projects (6,202) have been completed, emphasizing the scale and financial investment involved.

Note: The Government has decided to extend the Smart Cities Mission deadline by one year, from June 2023 to June 2024.

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q. With a brief background of the quality of urban life in India, introduce the objectives and strategy of the ‘Smart City Programme.’ (2016)