SMART CITIES MISSION (SCM) (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Govt Policies/Schemes)

Context: The Smart Cities Mission (SCM) has taken a back seat in this year’s list of poll promises and achievements.

Smart Cities Mission (SCM)

• Launched by: June, 2015.
• Ministry: Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.
• Objective: To promote cities that provide core infrastructure, clean and sustainable environment, and give a decent quality of life to their citizens through the application of ‘smart solutions’.
• Focus Area: Sustainable and inclusive development by the creation of replicable models that act as lighthouses to other aspiring cities.
• Two main aspects: Area-based development consisting of three components — redevelopment (city renewal), retrofitting (city improvement), and green field projects (city extension); and pan-city solutions based on ICT.
• Coverage: 100 cities
• Funding: This Mission is operated as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Extension: June 2023 to June 2024.

Other Key Initiatives of the Smart Cities Mission include:

• Assessment Frameworks created under the Smart Cities Mission include Ease of Living Index, Municipal Performance Index, Data Maturity Assessment Framework and Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework.
• National Challenges: Such as ‘Placemaking Marathons’, ‘Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge’, ‘Transport4All’ and ‘EatSmart cities’ etc.
• National Urban Digital Mission: pilot launched in February 2021 to foster a national urban digital ecosystem that delivers accessible, inclusive, efficient and citizen centric governance.
• Urban Learning Internship Program (TULIP): MoHUA and MHRD launched ‘TULIP to match opportunities in ULBs and Smart Cities with learning needs of recent graduates. The program intends to fulfil the twin goals of providing hands-on learning experience to recent graduates as well as benefitting States, ULBs and Smart Cities with infusion of fresh energy and ideas to solve critical challenges.