As of November 2024, the central and state governments of India have allocated ₹5,707.78 crore for implementing the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) across six cities in Gujarat: Ahmedabad, Dahod, Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Surat, and Vadodara. Of this, Gujarat has utilized ₹5,464.04 crore across 354 projects with a total project value of ₹11,451.36 crore. Out of these, 339 projects worth ₹10,824.14 crore have been completed, while 15 projects worth ₹627.22 crore remain under implementation.

City-Specific Highlights
Ahmedabad leads with 70 projects, receiving ₹957.25 crore in funding and utilizing ₹940.21 crore. Surat stands out for completing all its 82 projects worth ₹2,638.38 crore, achieving a 100 percent implementation rate. Other cities, including Rajkot, Gandhinagar, and Vadodara, have ongoing projects but show significant progress in project utilization, reflecting Gujarat’s commitment to enhancing urban infrastructure and adopting smart city solutions.

National Progress Under Smart Cities Mission
At the national level, work orders have been issued for 8,066 projects under the SCM, amounting to ₹1,64,669 crore. Of these, 7,352 projects (91 percent of total) worth ₹1,47,366 crore have been completed. Another 714 projects worth ₹17,303 crore are currently in various stages of implementation. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs expects all ongoing projects to be completed by March 31, 2025.

Challenges and Opportunities
Tokhan Sahu, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, provided these updates in response to a Lok Sabha query during the ongoing winter session of Parliament. He emphasized that urban planning is primarily a state subject under the 12th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Despite this, the central government actively supports states through advisory interventions to capitalize on urbanization as a driver of economic growth.
Delays in certain projects are attributed to issues like legal disputes, land acquisition challenges, and difficulties in obtaining clearances from various departments. Additionally, construction in hilly areas and resource availability in smaller cities have posed obstacles. This progress underscores the collaborative efforts of the central and state governments in driving urban transformation through the Smart Cities Mission.

The Smart Cities Mission, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on June 25, 2015, aims to foster cities that offer robust infrastructure, a clean and sustainable environment, and an improved quality of life for citizens through the implementation of 'smart solutions.' This initiative seeks to drive economic growth and enhance living standards by focusing on the social, economic, physical, and institutional aspects of urban development. With an emphasis on sustainable and inclusive progress, the Mission envisions creating replicable models that serve as benchmarks for other cities. A total of 100 cities have been selected for development under this initiative through a two-stage competition.