The Government of India has extended the deadline for the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) till March 31, 2025, to allow the completion of ongoing projects. The deadline was June 2024. The concerned State and City authorities have been requesting the government for an extension to complete under-construction projects, which account for 10% of total projects. Various on-ground conditions have caused a delay in these projects.
Key highlights
- Until July 3, 2024, the 100 cities included in the Mission have completed 7,188 projects, which is 90% of the total projects worth Rs. 1,44,237 crore.
- Currently, 830 projects are under various stages of construction. They are expected to be completed by the time period provided in this extension.
- The Government of India has sanctioned Rs. 48,000 crore for the 100 smart cities, of which Rs. 46,585 crore has been released.
About Smart Cities Mission (SCM)
- The Smart Cities Mission (SCM), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, was launched in June 2015 to equip 100 selected cities by 2020 with robust infrastructure while ensuring environmental sustainability to enable them to offer a decent life to their residents.
- This gives emphasis on smart solutions and sustainable development.
- It focuses on the redevelopment of existing infrastructure, upgrading existing infrastructure (retrofitting), and developing new areas as greenfield projects. Moreover, it emphasises the implementation of modern technologies in various sectors such as water management, waste management, and urban mobility.
- Various government initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), The Urban Learning Internship Program (TULIP), the Atal Mission for Urban Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), and the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework 2.0 are facilitating the Mission.
- Displacement of people, a top-down approach, and a flawed city selection process are some of the few challenges that have affected the Mission and attracted criticism. This has created the need to appoint a dedicated official to oversee the projects and resolve concerns. Moreover, including local political representatives such as MPs in the discussion of the plan should be given priority: it will help understand the needs and challenges of locals.
