68 Smart Cities haven’t achieved physical targets

New Delhi: A Parliamentary Committee has noted contrasting differences in the completion of targets in different cities under the flagship 'Smart City Mission' (SCM). The panel has found that 68 Smart Cities have not achieved their physical targets under the Mission by the end of January, 2023.

On one hand, 32 Smart Cities have completed more than the number of projects planned for the implementation under SCM and in some cases even four times more than the actual target. On the other hand, remaining 68 Smart Cities are yet to meet the project completion targets wherein the performance of some cities is quite dismal. "Therefore, the total number of completed projects gives a misleading picture because it also takes into account the excess projects accomplished by 32 performing Smart Cities. "The Committee is of the opinion that if the number of 'excess projects' is removed from the total completed projects then the actual number of projects completed under 36 the Mission would be far less than projected as on 31.01.2023," said the Demands for Grants report (2023-24) by the Standing committee on Housing and urban Affairs.

The panel in the report observed that the Mission period has been extended till June, 2023 to complete these projects and the Ministry has submitted before the Committee that all the Smart Cities are expected to complete their projects within the stipulated time.