Allocation to smart cities project lowered

Prime Minster Narendra Modi's pet project of building 100 smart cities has only been allotted Rs.143.05 crore in the union budget Saturday - down from Rs.7,016 crore.

Of the Rs.7,016 crore allocated, however only Rs.924 crore have been used.

However, the urban development inistry - entrusted with the task of implementing the project - has seen an increase of 53 percent in its budget allocation for 2015-16, at Rs.16,832 crore up from Rs.11,013 crore earlier.