All projects to be completed by June 2024: Director of Smart City Mission

Smart City Mission Director and Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Urban and Housing Affairs Kunal Kumar has asserted that all the projects taken under the Smart City Mission are expected to be completed by June 2024.

Of the total allocation of Rs 1.70 lakh crore, Rs 1.10 lakh crore has already been spent on the development of smart cities across the country, said the official in an interaction with ANI.

The Union Government launched the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) on June 25, 2015. 100 smart cities were selected through several rounds of competition from January 2016 to June 2018.

Kunal Kumar asserted that 40 per cent of project works under the Smart City Mission would get completed by December 2023, while by June next year, the Smart City Mission would see a 100 per cent completion.

“The remaining Rs 60 lakh crore would be utilised by the different smart city projects by June 2024,” said Kumar, who is a 1999-batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre.

In response to a question on the sustainability model in smart city projects, Kumar said, “Most of the smart cities have established projects on a self-sustainable model. Among the many, Surat Municipal Corporation has taken the lead by starting consultancy services to other agencies. There are several other smart cities that have taken several innovative steps to develop self-sustainable models of sewage treatment plants, integrated command centres, waste management systems, etc.”

Stressing the role of the community in better implementation of smart city projects, Kumar said, “All the projects completed under the mission has witnessed a great community participation. Most of the projects are being in operation the PPP model.”

Kunal Kumar was speaking on the sidelines of India Smart Cities Conclave 2023, which is being organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in Indore.

The two-day conclave, which started on Tuesday, is witnessing the participation of all 100 smart city projects.

President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to felicitate the winners of the fourth edition of the India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) 2022 on September 27.

The ISAC is being organised under the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India since 2018.

(with inputs from ANI)