Lok Sabha Question No. 671 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-19
Subject: Modification of Guidelines of Smart City Mission
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB, HEMAMALINI, B.N. CHANDRAPPA, R. PARTHIPAN, (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE, INNOCENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 671

## TO BE ANSWERED ON JULY 19, 2017 MODIFICATION OF GUIDELINES OF SMART CITY MISSION

No. 671     SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

SHRIMATI HEMA MALINI:

SHRI B.N. CHANDRAPPA:

SHRI R. PARTHIPAN:

ADV. JOICE GEORGE:

SHRI INNOCENT:

Will  the  Minister  of  HOUSING  AND  URBAN  AFFAIRS  be  pleased  to

## state:

- a) whether the Government has received suggestion from various quarters to modify the guidelines/criteria for selection of cities under the Smart City Mission;
- b) if so, the details thereof and the action taken/ being taken on
3. such suggestions;
- c) whether  the  Government  has  sought  assistance  financial  or otherwise from foreign countries for the Mission and if so, the details  thereof  and  the  response  of  these  countries,  country-
5. wise;
- d) whether  the  Government  has  discussed  with  States  and Private  Players  for  developing  smart  cities  and  if  so,  the details  and  their  reaction  along  with  the  steps  taken  to
7. expedite the project;
- e) whether affordable housing projects, new schools and hospitals and redesign and development of roads are proposed in the selected cities and if so, the details thereof;
- f) the  other  steps  taken/  being  taken  by  the  Government  for timely  development  of  cities  identified/  selected  under  the Mission along with achievements thereof; and
- g) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  declare  more  cities under the Mission and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

- (a) No,  Madam.  No  specific  proposal  has  been  received  by  this Ministry  to  modify  the  Guidelines  /  criteria  for  selection  of cities under the Smart Cities Mission.
- (b) Does not arise.
- (c) The  Smart  Cities  Mission  Statement  &  Guidelines  envisage that  external  agencies  including  bilateral  and  multilateral institutions  can  extend  their  support  to  the  States/UTs  as hand-holding  agencies  in  preparing  the  Smart  City  Proposals (SCPs).  Based  on  mutual  understanding  among  the  Ministry, States/UTs  and  Foreign  Agencies,  this  Ministry  is  facilitating execution of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs)/Agreements between  Foreign  Agencies  and  States/UTs  for  assistance under  Smart  Cities  Mission.  The  following  MoUs/Agreements have  been  executed  so  far  between  foreign  agencies  and States/UTs :-

|   S. No. | Name of Foreign Agency                | State/UT                               | City                          | Date of MoU/ Agreement   |
|----------|---------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|-------------------------------|--------------------------|
|        1 | US Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) | Andhra Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Rajasthan | Visakhapatnam Allahabad Ajmer | 25.01.2015               |
|        2 | French Agency for Development (AFD)   | Maharashtra Chandigarh Puducherry      | Nagpur Chandigarh Oulgaret    | 24.01.2016               |

In  addition,  various  other  countries  namely,  Spain,  Canada, Germany, China, Singapore, UK, South Korea and Japan have also shown interest to participate in the development of Smart Cities.

- (d) Before finalization of the concept/ criteria/ method of selection of cities of Smart Cities Mission, the State Governments/ UTs and other Stakeholders were consulted on three occasions:
- o First,  a  National  Conclave  on  Smart  Cities  was  held  on 12 th   September  2014  with  State  Governments  in  which Ministers, Secretaries and Municipal Commissioners participated.  The  deliberation  was  on  the  concept  of Smart Cities and the method of selection of cities.
- o Again, a two-day Consultative Workshop was held on 30 th and  31 st   January  2015  with  State  Governments,  Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), urban experts as well as members of academia and industry.
- o A  final  consultation  to  reconfirm  the  eligibility  criteria was held on 26 th  February 2015 with Principal Secretaries of select States and Municipal Commissioners of ULBs.

Active  support  of  States  and  ULBs  in  the  development  of Smart Cities is crucial for development of smart cities.

This is the first time that Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is  using  the  two  stage  Challenge  or  Competition  method  to select  cities  for  development  into  Smart  Cities.  So  far,  there has been enthusiastic support from States/Cities in the whole process. The entire Stage 1 of challenge process was completed  by  the  States/UTs  through  intra-state  competition and announcement of potential smart cities was made on the basis  of  shortlisting  done  by  the  States/UTs.  In  Stage  2,  the proposals  were  prepared  by  the  cities  under  the  guidance  of State  High  Powered  Steering  Committee  (HPSC)  under  the charge of Chief Secretary of the State. States/Cities are also participating  actively  in  the  implementation  of  Smart  City Projects in a time bound manner.

- (e) In accordance with the Mission Statement and Guidelines, the
- Government  is  not  prescribing  any  particular  model  to  be adopted  by  the  Smart  Cities.    The  approach  is  not  'one-sizefits-all';  each  city  has  to  formulate  its  own  concept,  vision, mission and plan (proposal) for a smart city that is appropriate to  its  local  context,  resources  and  level  of  ambition.  Even though  a  particular model  is not being  prescribed, it is expected that the Smart City Proposals (SCPs) will include a large  number  of  infrastructure  services  and  smart  solutions highlighted in the Mission Guidelines. Affordable housing projects, new schools and hospitals and development of roads can  be  included  by  the  cities  in  their  Smart  City  Proposals. Cities have proposed a number of such projects in their Smart City Proposals.
- (f) The implementation of the Smart Cities Mission is being done by  a  City  level  Special  Purpose  Vehicle  (SPV),  a  limited company  incorporated  under  the  Companies  Act,  2013.  The SPV  will  have  to  comply  with  all  the  regulatory/monitoring mechanisms  set  out  in  the  Company  Law.  At  the  National level,  the  implementation  of  Smart  Cities  Mission  is  being monitored by an Apex Committee  headed by Secretary, Ministry  of  Housing  and  Urban  Affairs.   At  State  level,  State level High Powered Steering Committee (HPSC) chaired by the Chief  Secretary  has  been  established.  There  is  a  provision under  Smart  Cities  Mission  Guidelines  to  establish  a  Smart City  Advisory  Forum  at  the  city  level  to  advise  and  enable collaboration  among  various  stakeholders  and  it  will  include the  District  Collector,  MP,  MLA,  Mayor,  CEO  of  SPV,  local youths,  technical  experts  etc.  Apart  from  these,  progress  of Implementation  is  being  reviewed  regularly  through  Video Conference Review Meetings Chaired by Secretary(HUA) every month. Besides, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Nominee Directors on the Boards of SPVs are also monitoring the progress in respective cities on regular basis.

So  far,  2,313  projects  worth  Rs.  96,336  crore  are  at  various have already been completed. Implementation stages  of  implementation.  57  projects  worth  Rs.  941  crore has commenced for 116 projects worth Rs. 4,476 crore. Tendering has  started  for  182  projects  with  a  cost  of  Rs.  9,769  crore, Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) have been completed for 439

- projects worth Rs. 18,457 crore and DPRs are under preparation for 1,519 projects worth Rs. 62,693 crore.
- (g) In terms of Smart Cities Mission Statement & Guidelines, 100 cities will be selected for development as Smart Cities.  So far, 90 cities have been selected in various Rounds. Thus, 10 more cities are to be selected for development as Smart Cities.

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