Smart Cities Mission Latest 2023
What is the purpose of the Smart Cities Mission?
In the approach to the Smart Cities Mission, the objective is to promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of ‘Smart’ Solutions.
Launched on 25th June 2015, Smart Cities Mission is a new initiative by the Government of India. This mission focuses on sustainable and inclusive development and aims to create a prototype that other aspiring cities can follow. Currently, the Government has selected 100 cities to build up as Smart Cities.
What are the features of smart city mission in India?
Features of the Smart Cities
1-Society needs well-developed health care, education, housing, and infrastructure.
2-Deliver enhanced key services to the community reliably and cost-effectively.
3-Better housing.
4-Improve economic growth of the society.
5-Effective management of the resources to reduce depletion.
What are the benefits of a smart city?
1-More effective, data-driven decision-making.
2-Enhanced citizen and government engagement.
3-Safer communities.
4-Reduced environmental footprint.
5-mproved transportation.
6-Increased digital equity.
7-New economic development opportunities.
8-Efficient public utilities.
The Mission is operated as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Central Government will give financial support to the extent of Rs. 48,000 crores over 5 years i.e. on an average Rs.100 crore per city per year. An equal amount on a matching basis is to be provided by the State/ULB.
Additional resources are to be raised through convergence, from ULBs’ own funds, grants under Finance Commission, innovative finance mechanisms such as Municipal Bonds, other government programs and borrowings. Emphasis has been given on the participation of private sector through Public Private Partnerships (PPP).
Citizens’ aspirations were captured in the Smart City Proposals (SCPs) prepared by the selected cities. Aggregated at the national level, these proposals contained more than 5,000 projects worth over Rs. 2,00,000 crores, of which 45 percent is to be funded through Mission grants, 21 percent through convergence, 21 percent through PPP and rest from other sources.