UPSC Mains 2016 GS Paper 1 Q11: model answer

Background

Indian cities face slums, water shortages, congestion, pollution and weak governance, even as they generate most of the GDP.

Objectives of the Smart Cities Mission (launched June 2015)

• Promote cities that provide core infrastructure, a clean and sustainable environment and a decent quality of life through 'smart' solutions.
• Core elements: water and power supply, sanitation, efficient mobility, affordable housing, digitalisation, e-governance, safety and health and education.

Strategy

• City selection through a challenge: 100 cities chosen competitively.
• Area-based development: retrofitting, redevelopment and greenfield projects.
• Pan-city solutions: technology applied across the city, such as Integrated Command and Control Centres.
• Implementation through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for each city; funding from the Centre, states, PPPs and loans.
• Convergence with AMRUT, PMAY and Swachh Bharat.

Challenges

• SPVs can bypass elected local bodies; slow fund use; focus on small areas rather than whole cities.

Progress and gaps

• By 2024, most of the over 8,000 sanctioned projects had been completed, but area-based development reached only a small part of each city.
• Integrated Command and Control Centres, used during COVID-19 for tracking and logistics, became the mission's most visible success, and cities like Pune and Surat used them for traffic and water.

To sum up

The mission introduced competitive, technology-led urban planning. Its long-term success depends on empowered municipalities and inclusive design.