Central Smart Cities (10 Cities)
Cities are engines of growth for the economy of every nation, including India. Nearly 31% of India’s current population lives in urban areas and contributes 63% of India’s GDP (Census 2011). With increasing urbanization, urban areas are expected to house 40% of India’s population and contribute 75% of India’s GDP by 2030. This requires comprehensive development of physical, institutional, social and economic infrastructure. All are important in improving the quality of life and attracting people and investments to the City, setting in motion a virtuous cycle of growth and development. Development of Smart Cities is a step in that direction.The total number of 100 Smart Cities have been distributed among the States and UTs on the basis of an equitable criteria. Each aspiring city competed for selection as a Smart City under the ‘City Challenge’. There were two stages in the City Challenge. After the number of tentative Smart Cities for each state/UT was indicated, the respective State/UT undertook the following steps:Stage 1 of the competition: Shortlisting of cities by StatesThe State/UT began with shortlisting their potential Smart Cities on the basis of conditions precedent and scoring criteria and in accordance with the total number of cities allocated to it. The cities that emerged successful in the first round of competition were sent by the respective State/UT as the recommended shortlist of Smart Cities to erstwhile MoUD (Ministry of Urban Development), now known as MoHUA (Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs).Stage 2 of the competition: The Challenge round for selectionIn the second stage of the competition, each of the potential 100 Smart Cities prepared their Smart City Proposals (SCP) for participation in the ‘City Challenge’. The SCP also outlined the consultations held with the city residents and other stakeholders, how the aspirations matched with the vision contained in the SCP and importantly, what was the proposal for financing of the Smart City plan including the revenue model to attract private participation. In all, five rounds of the city challenge were held for selection of 100 Smart Cities across the country, out of which 10 cities were selected from Uttar Pradesh.