Smart Cities: With 30 new candidates, govt moves towards better quality

Under the initiative, Rs 500 cr would be provided to each city over a period of 5 yrs

The Union government had launched the Smart Cities Mission on June 15, 2015 to develop 100 cities. Under the initiative, the Centre would provide Rs 500 crore to each city over five years to implement various projects. The government also distributed Rs 500 crore among various states for carrying out reforms in the urban sector. 

Last year, Rs 400 crore were given to states. For the next three years, incentive funds worth Rs 10,000 crore are approved for recognising the efforts by states in urban transformation.

THE BIG PICTURE

• Another list comprising 30 new cities announced by the government on Friday to develop as smart cities
• This takes the total number of selected cities under the Smart City Mission to 90 
• 45 cities contested for 40 available smart city slots
• Only 30 cities are selected to ensure feasibility and workable plans
• 20 more cities will be contesting for the remaining 10 slots, including Biharsharif (Bihar); Navi Mumbai, Greater Mumbai and Amaravati (Maharashtra); Bidhannagar, Durgapur and Haldia (Bengal); and Meerut, Raebareli, Ghaziabad, Saharanpur and Rampur (Uttar Pradesh)
• 20 of the 30 cities have proposed affordable housing projects that benefit urban poor, 
• 26 cities will take up school and hospital projects, 29 will take up redesign and redevelopment of roads

The government has also launched the City Liveability Index to help a city know where it stands in ensuring quality of life to citizens. This exercise will be taken up in 116 cities, covering all smart cities, capitals and cities with over one million population each. The first ranking will be out next year.