Prime Minister to set Smart Cities Mission, Atal Mission, Urban Housing Mission rolling tomorrow

New Delhi, June 25, 2015: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will launch three major Missions intended to transform the urban landscape of the country which in turn would enhance the quality of urban living besides driving economic growth. He will set rolling the Smart Cities Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for urban areas besides releasing operational guidelines for the three missions.

Under AMRUT, focus will be on providing basic infrastructure like providing tap water and sewer connections to every urban household, solid waste management, provision of roads and public transport. Promotion of urban reforms to improve urban governance will also be supported. This Mission seeks to enable urban local bodies meet service level benchmarks in respect of various services. 500 cities with a population of above one lakh each would be included in AMRUT.

Under PMAY, it is proposed to build 2 crore houses for urban poor including Economically Weaker Sections and Low Income Groups in urban areas by the year 2022. This Mission has four components viz., In-situ Slum Redevelopment with private sector participation using land as resource, Affordable Housing through Credit Linked Subsidy, Affordable Housing in Partnership with private and public sector and Beneficiary led house construction/enhancement. Under these components, central assistance will be in the range of Rs.1.00 lakh to Rs.2.30 lakh.

Smart Cities Mission aims at development of entire urban eco-system of cities covering physical, social, economic and institutional infrastructure. The objective is to enable better living and driving economic growth for the benefit of all sections. This will be implemented through retrofitting (enhancing infrastructure in already built up areas and adopting smart solutions), redevelopment by demolishing already built up areas with fresh layouts for intensive land use and smart solutions, Pan-city projects for the benefit of all citizens like e-governance and appropriate smart solutions. Greenfield projects can be taken up for accommodating people outside existing cities.

Speaking to media ahead of the launch of three missions, Minister of Urban Development and HUPA Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu said that Prime Minister will be heralding a new urban era in the country with the launch tomorrow. He said, “This marks the journey of Team India towards radical transformation of urban areas required to build a resurgent India. Effective implementation of identified reforms is the key to the success of new missions. Urban governance needs to be improved substantially ensuring citizen participation, transparency and accountability and efficient service delivery to citizens.”

Shri Naidu further elaborated that the simultaneous launch of three urban missions reflects the integrated approach of the Government to urban development and these missions have been designed to be complementary to enable urban transformation. He said that the central government has committed itself to spend about Rs.four lakh crore on these three missions over the next five to six years, which is unprecedented.

The Minister said that the new missions have been formulated after about an year long extensive consultations with States, Union Territories and Urban Local Bodies so as to involve them at every stage of formulation so as to avoid the pitfalls of implementation of Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM).

Ministers of Urban Development and Housing of States and UTs, Mayors and Municipal Chairpersons of 500 cities with population of above one lakh, Principal Secretaries from States/UTs, Municipal Commissioners will also attend the launch. The launch of three new urban missions will be followed by a two day extensive consultations with States/UTs, elected and administrative heads of municipal bodies on implementation issues relating to new missions and Swachh Bharat Mission as well.