The Smart City Mission: Driving ₹1.53 Lakh Crore in Urban Development

As of 31 July 2025, a total of 7,636 projects worth ₹1.53 lakh crore have been completed under the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) across 100 designated cities, according to Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Tokhan Sahu.

Out of 8,063 sanctioned projects valued at ₹1.64 lakh crore, most have focused on key sectors such as smart mobility, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), smart governance, energy, and the environment. These initiatives are based on Smart City Proposals (SCPs) submitted by States and Union Territories and approved by the High Powered Steering Committee.

The Minister also shared progress under the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban (SBM-U), launched in 2014 to achieve an Open Defecation Free (ODF) India and promote scientific waste management. The mission's initial financial outlay was ₹62,009 crore, including ₹14,623 crore in Central Assistance. Under SBM-U 2.0, launched in October 2021, the outlay increased to ₹1.41 lakh crore, with ₹36,465 crore in Central funding.

On urban transport, Sahu noted that 1,055 km of metro rail is operational across 24 cities. Since June 2024, metro projects worth over ₹1 lakh crore have been sanctioned. Additionally, the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme aims to deploy 10,000 electric buses, supported by ₹20,000 crore in Central Assistance.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.