Premium
This is an archive article published on November 12, 2023

Smart Cities ranking: Surat tops, UTs, N-E cities in bottom 10

As per the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry data as on November 3, about 22% of total projects (1,745 of 7,947) that account for 33% (Rs 57,028 crore of Rs 1.70 lakh crore) of the total cost are still ongoing.

Smart Cities Mission, Smart Cities Mission, Smart City mission, Smart city project, Indian express news, current affairsA bird’s eye view of Ahmedabad. Express
Listen to this article
Smart Cities ranking: Surat tops, UTs, N-E cities in bottom 10
x
00:00
1x 1.5x 1.8x

As the Smart Cities Mission approaches the June 2024 deadline, cities in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan account for the top 10 in terms of completion of projects and financial progress, while UTs and cities in Northeastern states are in the lowest 10 of the 100, The Indian Express has learnt.

As per the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry data as on November 3, about 22% of total projects (1,745 of 7,947) that account for 33% (Rs 57,028 crore of Rs 1.70 lakh crore) of the total cost are still ongoing. The majority of projects (6,202) have been completed, data shows. As of November 10, ministry data showed Surat (Gujarat) topped in terms of completion of projects, fund usage and other criteria, followed by Agra (UP), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Varanasi (UP) and Bhopal (MP) in the top five. The rest of the top 10 include Tumakuru (Karnataka), Udaipur (Rajasthan), Madurai (TN), Kota (Rajasthan) and Shivamogga (Karnataka).

On the other hand, the UTs and Northeastern cities have continued to trail. The bottom 10 cities are Kavaratti (Lakshadweep), Puducherry, Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), Imphal (Manipur), Shillong (Meghalaya), Diu, Guwahati (Assam), Aizawl (Mizoram), Gangtok (Sikkim) and Pasighat (AP). Sources said this was due to lack of capacities in smaller cities. However, an official said the ongoing projects are likely to meet the June 2024 deadline. Launched in 2015, the Smart Cities Mission selected 100 cities through a competition in phases from January 2016 to June 2018. The selected cities were expected to finish all their proposed projects in five years from their selection. In May this year, the deadline for all cities was extended to June 2024.

Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More

 

Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Advertisement
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments