5,700+ projects, or 73% of the total worth Rs.1.1 lakh crores, have been completed.
India’s urban future will draw heavily from the innovations being nurtured in the 100 smart cities-real incubators for the ‘New Urban India’, Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, said in an update on 23 May 2023.
Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) are playing an instrumental role in monitoring the projects to utilize the full potential of this path-breaking Smart Cities Mission (SCM), launched on 25 June 2015, for providing core infrastructure, clean and sustainable environment and a decent quality of life to their citizens through the application of ‘smart solutions’.
The 100 cities selected through a two-stage competition to be developed as Smart Cities are showing satisfying progress.
Smart Cities Mission, monitored by an Apex Committee headed by the Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, regularly report implementation status of projects through the Real Time Geographical Management Information System (GMIS).
As per SCM Statement and Guidelines, a Smart City Advisory Forum (SCAF) is established at the city level to advise and enable collaboration among various stakeholders. It consists of Member(s) of Parliament, Member(s) of Legislative Assembly, Mayor, District Collector, local youth, technical experts, other stakeholders, etc. All 100 Smart Cities have established their SCAFs. So far, the Smart Cities have convened more than 756 meetings of SCAF.
Moreover, at State level, High Powered Steering Committee (HPSC) chaired by the Chief Secretary has been established. Besides, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Nominee Directors on the Boards of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPVs) regularly monitor the progress in respective cities. Furthermore, the Ministry regularly interacts with the States / Smart Cities through video conferences, review meetings, field visits, regional workshops, etc. at various levels to assess the performance of cities and to handhold them for improvement.
Further, the Committee visited various project sites including ‘Mandovi Riverfront Promenade’, ‘Flood Mitigation Works’, and Integrated Command and Control Centre in Goa and deliberated upon the current status and progress as on 1 May 2023 wherein it was highlighted that the Mission has around 7,800 projects worth Rs.1.8 lakh crores of which 5,700+ projects (73% by number) worth Rs.1.1 lakh crores (60% by value) have been completed. All remaining projects are expected to be completed by 30 June, 2024. Also, it was outlined during the meeting that Rs.38,400 crore have been released under Smart Cities Mission upto 1 May 2023, out of which Rs.35,261 crore has been utilized.
The Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs) in all 100 smart cities have become the nerve centres of these smart cities and embodies effective use of technology towards strengthening the urban management.
ICCCs build better situational awareness by the use of cutting-edge technologies and provide consolidated visualization for civic officials across urban functions to handle day-day work/ issues/ exigencies through detailed SOPs, said the Minister.
The enactment of the Smart Cities Mission, marked the beginning of a new era in Urban Development Sector as a step towards reforming the sector, encouraging improved economic standards, smart governance, climate-sensitive sustainable environment, vibrant public spaces, digital access and health & hygiene, thus empowering the cities framework.
The Ministry, he stressed, is committed to enhance the ease of living index in the service of citizens. fiinews.com
