The Centre has decided to extend the Smart Cities Mission deadline by one year, from June 2023 to June 2024. The flagship mission, which involves development of 100 cities into smart cities, had an initial deadline of June 2021. This would be the second extension of the mission, which was launched on June 25, 2015. The decision to extend the mission period follows an extensive review of all 100 cities by the housing and urban affairs ministry.
The review showed that only 50 cities would be able to complete projects conceived under the mission by June 2023. The extension would help cities to complete 100% of the projects by June 2024.
The Centre has suggested rationalisation of projects. This means that instead of initiating complicated new projects, the cities have been asked to expand the ambit of projects already underway.
If there are 150 buses to be acquired for the city fleet and slum redevelopment project to be initiated, we have urged cities to not begin on the slum redevelopment as it could take time. Instead, the city could use the money and buy over 150 buses. This kind of rationalisation would help cities complete projects in the extended time.
