More than 5,700 projects funded by the Narendra Modi government’s Smart Cities Mission and involving an investment of Rs 1.1 lakh crore had been finished as of 1 May this year. This was stated by the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri.

According to the minister, these completed projects account for 73 per cent of the 7,800 projects worth Rs.1.8 lakh crores that were sanctioned by the government under the scheme for a New India.

Puri was addressing members of the parliamentary consultative committee at a meeting in Goa. He said that remaining projects are expected to be completed by 30 June, 2024. It was outlined during the meeting that Rs 38,400 crore have been released under Smart Cities Mission up to 1 May, 2023, out of which Rs 35,261 crore has been utilised.

The Minister stated that India’s urban future will draw heavily from the innovations being nurtured in these 100 smart cities as the country moves on its journey towards Amrit Kaal.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs chairs the Apex Committee overseeing the Smart Cities Mission, which uses the Real Time Geographical Management Information System (GMIS) to track the progress of projects.

Minister of State Kaushal Kishore lauded the pioneering effort of the Mission in successful deployment of the Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs) in all 100 smart cities. “ICCCs build better situational awareness by the use of cutting-edge technologies and provide consolidated visualisation for civic officials across urban functions to handle day-day work/ issues/ exigencies through detailed SOPs”, he said. He further added that ICCCs have become the nerve centres of these smart cities and embodies effective use of technology towards strengthening urban management.