13 Smart Cities Complete All Projects, 48 Near Full Completion: Centre

03 Dec 2024 CW Team

Thirteen of India's 100 designated smart cities have successfully completed all their projects under the Smart Cities Mission (SCM), while 48 others have achieved over 90% project completion, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu informed the Lok Sabha. As of November 15, 2024, work orders for 8,066 projects valued at Rs 1.65 trillion have been issued. Of these, 7,352 projects worth Rs 1.47 trillion, accounting for 91% of the total, are complete. The central government has allocated Rs 480 billion for the SCM, releasing Rs 472.25 billion to states and Union territories, with Rs 446.26 billion utilised so far (94% of the central share). The initiative, launched in June 2015, has been extended to March 31, 2025, following requests from states and Union territories. Delays have been attributed to legal hurdles, clearance bottlenecks, land acquisition issues, and challenges in vendor and resource availability in smaller cities and hilly regions. Key achievements under the SCM include the installation of over 84,000 CCTV cameras and the development of 713 km of cycle tracks. More than 1,740 km of smart roads have been built or upgraded, alongside 9,433 smart classrooms across 2,398 government schools. Forty-one digital libraries with a seating capacity of 4,809, 172 e-health centers, and 152 health ATMs have also been established. To improve urban utilities, over 17,026 km of water supply networks are monitored using Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, significantly reducing non-revenue water losses. Additionally, 66 cities have adopted advanced technologies for solid waste management, leading to better route planning and enhanced daily operations. In the solid waste sector, 9,194 vehicles equipped with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems are operational, boosting efficiency and digitizing waste collection processes. (ET)

Infrastructure Urban

06 Apr 2026

InsideFPV Delivers ₹10 Crore Kamikaze Drone Order Under MoD’s EPR Route

InsideFPV, a Surat-based drone technology manufacturer, has successfully executed a ₹10 crore defence contract to supply indigenous kamikaze drones under the Ministry of Defence’s Emergency Procurement Route (EPR). The company completed the delivery of hundreds of FPV kamikaze drone platforms within a rapid two-month timeframe, highlighting its ability to meet urgent military procurement timelines.The supply orders were fulfilled under the emergency procurement mechanism, which is aimed at fast-tracking acquisitions for immediate operational needs. InsideFPV’s quick execution reflects it..

Vedanta Resources Secures Fitch Upgrade to ‘BB-’, Best Rating Since 2015

Vedanta Resources Limited (VRL), a global player in metals, oil & gas, critical minerals, power and technology, has received a credit rating upgrade from Fitch Ratings, marking its strongest bond rating in over a decade.Fitch has raised Vedanta Resources’ Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘BB-’ from ‘B+’, while maintaining a Stable Outlook. The agency also upgraded VRL’s senior unsecured rating, along with the ratings of US dollar-denominated bonds issued by Vedanta Resources Finance II Plc and guaranteed by VRL, to ‘BB-’.The upgrade represents Vedan..

NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter Launched

The NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter was recently launched at Excelerate 2026 in Mumbai, marking a key step towards integrating emerging real estate leaders from the National Capital Region with the national platform. The initiative aims to promote sustainable and responsible urban development through collaboration and knowledge exchange.The event brought together young developers, entrepreneurs, and professionals from across NCR, including Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bhiwadi, and Meerut. Discussions focused on urban development, finance, sustainability, innovation, and policy, emphasisi..