Smart Cities Mission: Aims and Achievements

The Smart Cities Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 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”. The mission aims to develop around 8,000 multi-sectoral projects worth more than Rs 1.7 lakh crore in 100 selected cities across the country. According to the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, 6,650 projects worth Rs 1.32 lakh crore have been completed till January 15 this year.

Smart Mobility: Improving Urban Transportation and Safety

One of the key aspects of the Smart Cities Mission is to enhance urban mobility by developing smart roads, cycle tracks, buses, and intelligent transport management systems. The ministry said that these 100 cities have completed around 1,300 smart mobility projects and 383 projects are nearing completion. The total investment in the development of smart mobility projects is more than Rs 40,000 crore.

“Over 2,500 km of smart roads with universal accessibility, utility ducts and proper signages have been developed. Over 7,500 new buses, including more than 2,000 electric buses), have been procured. Over 600 km of cycle tracks have been developed in 100 smart cities under the Mission,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also said that more than 76,000 CCTV surveillance cameras have been installed in 100 smart cities which helps in monitoring crime and enforcing traffic violations. The intelligent transport management systems are integrated and monitored through the Integrated Command and Control Centres which is improving traffic operations and journey time.

Smart Education: Enhancing Learning Outcomes and Digital Literacy

Another focus area of the Smart Cities Mission is to improve the quality of education and digital literacy by developing smart classrooms and digital libraries. The ministry said that under the mission, 6,855 “smart classrooms” and 40 digital libraries have been developed. These facilities are equipped with interactive boards, projectors, tablets, laptops, e-content, and internet connectivity. The smart classrooms aim to provide personalized learning experiences, enhance student engagement, and improve learning outcomes. The digital libraries provide access to a variety of e-books, e-journals, e-magazines, and other online resources.

Smart Energy: Promoting Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

The Smart Cities Mission also strives to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency by installing solar and LED streetlights and underground electricity cabling. The ministry said that over 50 lakh solar and LED streetlights have been installed and over 89,000 km of underground electricity cabling constructed under the mission. These initiatives are expected to reduce carbon emissions, save energy costs, and improve the quality and reliability of power supply.

Smart Economy: Boosting Investment and Job Creation

The Smart Cities Mission also aims to boost investment and job creation by developing economic infrastructure projects such as start-up incubation centres, market redevelopment projects, cultural heritage projects, etc. The ministry said that 674 economic infrastructure projects have been completed and 263 more are under implementation with a total investment worth more than Rs 13,800 crore. These projects are expected to establish smart cities as growth hubs which attract investments and create jobs.

Conclusion

The Smart Cities Mission is a flagship initiative of the central government that seeks to transform urban India by providing core infrastructure, clean environment, decent quality of life, and smart solutions to its citizens. The mission has made significant progress in various sectors such as mobility, education, energy, economy, etc. The mission is scheduled to end in June this year but its impact will be felt for years to come.