Smart cities: Incubators for India's urban future - Union Minister

During a meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in Goa, Hardeep Singh Puri, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, highlighted the significant role of the 100 Smart Cities in promoting innovation and shaping the future of urban India. He emphasised that the progress made within these smart cities would heavily influence the country's urban landscape.Updates on the smart cities mission were provided by Minister Puri during the meeting, where he discussed key developments. As part of the committee meeting, various project sites were visited in Goa, including the Mandovi riverfront promenade, flood mitigation works, and the integrated command and control centre. These visits provided an opportunity to assess the ongoing initiatives and witness the implementation of smart city projects firsthand.The committee discussed the current status and progress of the mission as of May 1, 2023. It was highlighted that the mission encompasses approximately 7,800 projects valued at Rs. 1.8 lakh crores. Out of these, over 5,700 projects worth Rs. 1.1 lakh crore have already been completed. The remaining projects are expected to be finished by June 30, 2024. The meeting also revealed that a total of Rs 384 billion has been released under the Smart Cities Mission until May 1, 2023, with Rs 352.61 billion already utilised.The Smart Cities Mission, which was launched on June 25, 2015, aims to improve the quality of life for citizens by providing essential infrastructure, promoting a clean and sustainable environment, and implementing intelligent solutions.Also read:Only 0.18% buildings in Nagpur have rainwater harvestingGanga river pollution: All drains to be geo-tagged