Important Points:
1) About 30 percent of India’s population lives in urban areas.
2) Fast urbanisation has led the cities to encounter some serious challenges on the socio-economic front such as unemployment as well as excess load on existing infrastructure in cities like housing, sanitation, transportation, health, education, utilities, etc.
3) Government of India has launched several schemes to upgrade the quality of life of people in urban areas.
Smart Cities Mission
1) This scheme was launched on June 25, 2015 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
2) Ais at building 100 Smart Cities across India with focus on planned urbanisation and sustainable development as a support system for the neighbouring cities.
3) Intends at development of high-quality infrastructure with provision of basic amenities, education, health services, IT accessibility, digitisation, e-governance, sustainable development, safety and security.
4) Global cities such as Singapore, Japan, and the USA are offering valuable support to India’s mission
5) Smart Cities Mission also emphasises on economic development of urban centres by creating more jobs and enhancement in income.
6) The scheme also involves as many as 3,183 projects worth Rs 1,45,245 crore.
7) The target of completion of the projects was extended from 2019-20 to 2022-23 for execution of projects in cities selected in round four.
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)
1) Launched on June 25, 2015
2) Aims at providing 20 million affordable homes for the urban poor including slum dwellers by March 2022.
3) The beneficiaries under this scheme include Economically weaker section (EWS), low-income groups (LIGs) and Middle-Income Groups (MIGs). 4) The scheme has two components: PMAY (Urban) and PMAY (Rural)
Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM – U)
1) Launched on October 2, 2014
2) Aimed at universal sanitation coverage in urban areas
3) A comprehensive sanitation scheme which aims to make the country open defecation free by 2019
4) To promote 100 percent collection and scientific processing of municipal solid waste, encourage healthy sanitation practices and equip the urban local bodies (ULBs) to design, execute and operate systems.
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNRUM)
1) Launched in 2005
2) It is a city-modernisation scheme with an investment of over $20 billion over seven years.
3) The scheme covers two components for urban poor (BSUP) and an Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP).
4) The scheme was designed to raise investment in urban infrastructure, build better civic amenities, ensure universal access to basic utilities as well as create affordable homes for the urban poor, slum dwellers and people of economically weaker sections.
5) JNNRUM has been replaced by another similar city-modernisation scheme AMRUT.
AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation)
1) Launched in 2015
2) The focus of the scheme was on infrastructure creation that has a direct link to provision of better services to the citizens.
3) The scheme is closely connected to the Swachh Bharat Mission
4) The scheme includes provision of water supply facilities, sewerage networks, stormwater drains, urban transport, and open and green spaces, across the selected 500 Indian cities.
National Urban Sanitation Policy (NUSP)
1) The scheme was formulated in 2008
2) The government’s vision to provide hygienic and affordable sanitation facilities for the urban poor especially women as well as addressing the challenges with effective city sanitation plans.
Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)
1) The scheme was introduced on 21st January 2015
2) The scheme is aimed at the holistic development of heritage cities.
3) The scheme deals with preserving and reviving the soul of the heritage city, as well as the development of core heritage infrastructure projects and revitalization of urban infrastructure for areas around heritage assets.
National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM)
1) The scheme is launched on 24th September 2013 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MHUPA)
2) The scheme is a livelihood promotion programme to reduce poverty and vulnerability of the urban poor households by enabling them to access gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities thereby enhancing their livelihood.
3) The scheme also addresses the livelihood concerns of urban street vendors.
4) NULM has been implemented across 790 cities.
National Urban Transport Policy, 2006
1) The policy involves incorporating urban transportation as an important parameter at the urban planning stage.
2) The scheme focuses on the introduction of intelligent transport systems, reduction of pollution levels and encouraging greater use of public transport and non-motorized modes.
3) It will be implemented through central financial assistance.