Union Housing and Urban Affair Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has described 100 Smart Cities as real incubators of the new urban India. He said the country’s urban future will draw heavily from the innovations being nurtured in these smart cities
IndiGlobal Bureau
The 100 Smart Cities would foster innovation and shape the future of urban India said Hardeep Singh Puri, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister at the meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in Goa.
It may be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Smart Cities Mission in India on June 25, 2015 in a bid to improve the quality of life for people living in India. The aim of Smart Cities is to enhance the quality of life for citizens by providing core infrastructure, a clean and sustainable environment, and implementing smart solutions.
Hardeep Singh Puri underscored that the country’s urban landscape would heavily depend on the advancements nurtured within these smart cities. As part of the committee meeting, several project sites were visited including the Mandovi riverfront promenade, flood mitigation works, and the integrated command and control centre in Goa. These visits offered an opportunity to assess the on-going initiatives and witness the implementation of smart city projects first hand.
The committee discussed the current status and progress as of May 1, 2023, highlighting that the mission encompasses approximately 7,800 projects worth Rs. 1.8 lakh crores, of which over 5,700 projects (73% by number) worth Rs. 1.1 lakh crores (60% by value) have been completed. The remaining projects are expected to be completed by June 30, 2024. The meeting also revealed that a total of ₹38,400 crore has been released under the Smart Cities Mission until May 1, 2023, with ₹35,261 crore already utilized.
The implementation of the smart cities mission at the city level is carried out by Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs). The apex committee, headed by the secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, closely monitors the smart cities mission and regularly reports on the implementation status of projects through the real-time geographical management information system (GMIS).
