Smart Cities Mission

• Launch Date
  • June 2015
• Ministry
  • Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• Extension
  • The mission has been extended to March 2025 to complete the remaining projects.
• Objective
  • Transform 100 cities into clean green and sustainable abodes in support of the citizens quality of life through sustainable and inclusive development.
• Components
  • Areabased Development: Focuses on upgrading selected areas in a city.
  • Retrofitting: Upgrading existing infrastructure in a city to achieve smart city status.
  • Greenfield Projects: Development of new areas with hightech infrastructure from scratch.
  • PanCity Solutions: Implementing smart solutions across the entire city.
• Governance Structure
  • A Special Purpose Vehicle SPV was created under the Companies Act 2013 to manage and oversee the missions implementation.
• Funding Model
  • Primarily based on PublicPrivate Partnership PPP
• Government Initiatives
  • Several initiatives are supporting the mission that includes the Atal Mission for Urban Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation AMRUT, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Urban PMAYU and others such as the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework 20 and TULIP.

Challenges

• Lack of Clarity in Definition
  • The absence of a clear definition for a smart city has made it difficult to allocate resources effectively and create a uniform development approach.
• TopDown Approach
  • The missions centralization limited the involvement of local elected representatives raising concerns over democratic governance and accountability in decision making processes.
• Poor City Selection Process
  • Developing less than 1 of a city’s area led to exclusion of many parts causing uneven development.
• Lack of Proper Funding and Scope
  • SCM did not go in line with the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act causing conflicts over governance structures and authority distribution.
• Displacement and Social Impact
  • Projects under SCM caused the displacement of vulnerable communities in poorer localities and worsened issues like urban flooding.
• Mismatch of Priorities
  • The IoT model was deemed unrealistic due to lack of basic amenities in many cities.
• Broader Lessons
  • Lack of Governance: Projects exclude public participation and local governance structures lack accountability and effectiveness.
  • Neglect of Core Needs: Hightech solutions over fundamental infrastructure result in misaligned outcomes.
• Shimla as a Smart City
  • Late Inclusion: Shimla was added to the mission after petitions in Himachal Pradesh High Court.
  • Funding Scheme: around 2906 crore through PPP municipal bonds, external borrowings, and government schemes.
  • Mishaps and Failures:
    • Underutilized Funds: Only 707 crore has been spent with PPP contributions.
  • Neglected Redevelopment: Key zones such as Lower Bazar and Krishnanagar have not been touched.
  • Unaddressed Traffic Issues: Congestion worsens and nonmotorised mobility plans are sidelined.

Recommendations for Strengthening the Smart City Mission

• Appointment of a Dedicated CEO
  • Establish a fixed tenure CEO for better leadership and accountability in managing the mission.
• Inclusion of MPs in Advisory Forums
  • Include Members of Parliament in State Level Advisory Forums to strengthen governance and decision making.
• PanCity Projects
  • The emphasis on citywide development would be given by pancity projects that provide integrated sustainable solutions to the entire city.
• Capacity Building of Urban Local Bodies
  • ULBs Capacitate the Urban Local Bodies ULBs in small cities so that they can make the development process more inclusive.
• Assistance from the Central Government in Building Capacities
  • Assist the cities through financial and technical aid to restructure their organizations and build necessary infrastructure for the smart city project.