Smart Cities Mission & Amrut - Key Features

Smart Cities Mission & Amrut – Key Features

Questions Smart cities will make contributions towards economic growth and development in urban areas. Discuss the features of the Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT/Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation recently approved by the Cabinet.

SMART Cities Mission: Features

• Outlay of INR 48,000 crore

• Scheme aims to make urban areas liveable, inclusive while driving economic growth

• Each city selected will be given central assistance of INR 100 crore for 5 years

• Smart City aspirants to be selected through City Challenge Competition for linking financing with capacity of cities to attain mission objectives

• Mission aims to promote smart solutions for efficient use of available assets, resources and infrastructure for:

- Enhanced urban living
- Clean and Sustainable Environment

• Critical emphasis is on citizen participation in prioritising and planning urban interventions

• Area Based Approach comprising:

- Retrofitting: Deficiencies will be addressed through necessary interventions
- Redevelopment: Reconstruction of built up area now amenable for any other intervention
- Pan City initiatives: Such as intelligent transport solutions benefiting residents through commuting time
- Development of new cities

• Focus is on:

- Adequate clean water supply
- Sanitation and solid waste management
- Effective urban mobility and public transportation
- Reasonably priced housing for poor persons
- Uninterrupted power supply
- Strong IT connectivity
- e-Governance and citizen participation
- Safety, security, health and education
- Sustainable urban environment

• Smart City Action Plans will be implemented by SPVs

• Mission is to be implemented in 500 cities and towns with population of one lakh or more including:
- Cities near main rivers
- Capital cities
- Important city in hilly and tourist areas

AMRUT/Atal Mission For Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation: Features

• Outlay of INR 50,000 crore

• Scheme is a new avatar of the JNNURM(Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission)

• AMRUT and Smart Cities Mission missions are interlinked

• Both adopt project approach to ensure basic infrastructure services such as:

- Water supply and sewerage, septic management
- Storm water drains
- Transport and development of open spaces
- Special provision for childcare needs

• Mission will be linked to urban reforms such as e-governance, constitution of professional municipal cadre, devolution of funds and functions for urban local bodies and more

• 10% of budget allocation will be provided as incentives

Facts and Stats

• Central assistance to the extent of 50 percent of project cost for towns, cities and population of INR 10 lakh and one third of project for those with population of more than 10 lakh.

• Central assistance will be released in instalments of 20:40:20 for Smart Cities Mission

• AMRUT will lay the foundation for smart cities to grow and develop

• Minimum investment of INR 2 lakh crore will flow in urban areas within the period from 2015-2016 to 2019-2020

• Both missions aim at sustainable urbanisation and improved access to urban spaces besides job creation