Centre Extends Smart Cities Development Mission Deadline Till March Next Year !

The flagship Smart Cities Mission (SCM) in 100 cities will be extended until March 2025, the government announced on Wednesday.

According to an official statement issued by the Ministry of Housing and urban affairs, the decision was made in response to requests made by a number of states and urban local bodies for additional time to complete the remaining projects. This is the third expansion to the mission.

Centre Extends Smart City Development Deadline

The Centre reserved ₹48,000 crore for projects in 100 urban areas over the mission time of five years beginning in 2015 and expected state government and metropolitan neighborhood bodies to make a matching commitment. An exemption was made for 13 Himalayan and northeastern states where the Association government was to give 90% of the subsidizing and the excess 10% was made by state and neighborhood bodies. Convergence was expected to provide about 21% of the funds.

Government Stated Already Released 46,000 Crores

The public authority's assertion on Wednesday said 830 ventures adding up to ₹19,926 crore, representing 10% of the absolute activities under the mission, were in cutting-edge phases of fulfillment while 7,188 tasks (90% of all out projects) adding up to ₹1,44,237 crore had been finished.

The assertion said the association government has previously delivered ₹46,585 crore (97% of the portion) to 100 urban communities and smart citiesand 93% of the focal subsidizing has been used.

Committee Flagged Several Shortcomings In the Scheme

The advisory group likewise hailed a few deficiencies and lacunas in the execution of the plan including the disappointment of most partaking urban communities or smart cities to raise subsidizes through imaginative measures like green funding and metropolitan securities. The council additionally accentuated that the order and-control focus framework and the computerized resources made under SCM ought to be kept up with and protection shields be set up.

'Installment Should Be Launched For Tier 3'

According to the committee, a second mission should only be launched for Tier-II cities, and the government should help smart cities create master plans for greenfield development and involve elected officials in planning and decision-making.