Smart Cities Mission (SCM): An Evaluation’ Report presented to Lok Sabha | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Smart Cities Mission (SCM): An Evaluation’ Report presented to Lok Sabha

Posted 09 Feb 2024

Updated 16 Mar 2024

2 min read

  • Report by Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs assesses issues and challenges affecting progress of SCM.

 

  • Key issues highlighted in the report
    • Project management and implementation: Frequent changing and dropping of projects, lack of adequate financial progress, and intercity disparity in physical progress of implementation.
      • Lack of integrated monitoring mechanism and lack of cross-city learning.
      • Lesser emphasis on core infrastructure projects such as social infrastructure, smart energy, etc.
    • Governance and capacity: Frequent transfer of Smart City CEOs, lack of defined governance structure and monitoring capacity, and inadequate consultation with public representatives.
      • Lack of execution capability in smart cities of Himalayan and North-East region and Small UTs.

 

  • Recommendations
    • Master Plan for Greenfield development should be spearheaded by Union ministry.
    • Fixed tenure for CEOs of Smart Cities’ Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs).
    • Third party assessment of SCM projects.
    • Launch of Phase II of the SCM covering larger number of cities and areas utilizing experience and expertise of SPVs.
    • Emphasize more on Pan City projects focusing on implementing technology-driven solutions for ensuring comprehensive and holistic development.

 

Smart Cities Mission

  • Launched in: 2015
  • Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme
  • Objective: Promote cities that provide core infrastructure, clean and sustainable environment, and give decent quality of life through application of ‘smart solutions’.
  • Till date, 100 cities selected through City Challenge Process in four rounds.
  • Tags :
  • Smart Cities Mission
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