The Smart Cities Mission (SCM) aims to promote sustainable and inclusive cities that provide core infrastructure and improve the quality of life for all citizens. By leveraging smart solutions, the mission seeks to ensure a clean, safe, and sustainable environment while boosting economic growth.
Objectives of Smart Cities Mission
The mission focuses on social, economic, physical, and institutional pillars of urban development:
- Core Infrastructure:
- Adequate electricity supply
- Water supply and sanitation
- Efficient urban mobility
- Affordable housing
- Robust IT connectivity
- Good governance
- Sustainable environment
- Safety and security (with special focus on women, children, and elderly)
- Health and education
- Economic and Social Goals:
- Drive economic growth
- Enhance citizens’ quality of life
- Promote inclusive and participatory urban governance
Achievements of Smart Cities Mission
- High Project Completion: 85% of funds utilized; 70% of projects completed.
- Community-Centric Approach: Technology is used as a means to improve living conditions, not an end.
- Data-Driven Governance: Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs) monitor traffic, waterlogging, and law & order to aid decision-making.
- Transit-Oriented Development (TOD): Reduces travel distances, improves access to jobs, education, and services.
- Strengthening Federalism: Competitive city selection and flexible implementation allow states to tailor approaches.
- Robust Monitoring: Multi-level oversight with apex (central), steering (state), and SPV & advisory forums (city-level).
- Supporting Initiatives:
- NUDM – National Urban Digital Mission
- NULP – National Urban Livelihoods Mission
- Ease of Living Index
- TULIP – Town-Level Urban Indicators Portal
- ClimateSMART Cities
- CITIIS Challenge
Challenges Faced by Smart Cities Mission
- Lag in Project Implementation: Time and cost overruns; only 22 of 100 cities have completed all projects.
- Financial Constraints: Difficulty in mobilizing funds and ensuring financial sustainability of ULBs.
- Data Handling Deficiencies: Limited understanding of data collection and analysis hampers evidence-based decision-making.
- Cybersecurity Risks: Networked systems and IoT devices generate massive data, vulnerable to hacking.
- Lack of Master Plans: 60–70% of cities do not have city development plans, crucial for effective urban planning.
- Other Challenges: Land acquisition issues, environmental clearance delays, weak Centre-State coordination, and insufficient citizen participation.
Way Forward
- Strengthen financial sustainability of ULBs to ensure project continuity.
- Develop and implement comprehensive city master plans for all cities.
- Build data analytics capacity in city governance for evidence-based planning.
- Ensure robust cybersecurity frameworks for smart infrastructure.
- Promote citizen participation to make urban governance more inclusive.
- Encourage private sector participation and PPP models for infrastructure development.
Conclusion
The Smart Cities Mission represents India’s push toward modern, sustainable, and inclusive urbanization. Despite challenges in funding, planning, and execution, continued focus on technology, citizen participation, and governance reforms can transform India’s urban landscape into hubs of economic growth, environmental sustainability, and improved quality of life.