The Union Cabinet has approved PM Modi’s ambitious one hundred smart cities project to develop the urban landscape of India and also to make the cities more livable. The Cabinet has also cleared the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for 500 cities. The Cabinet has approved the government to spend a sum of Rupees one lakh crore on urban development under two new urban missions over the next five years. The Smart Cities Mission will get a total of Rs 48,000 crore and the AMRUT mission will receive Rs 50,000 crore over the next five years. 

Under the Smart Cities Mission, each selected city would get central assistance of Rs 100 crore per year for five years. The two missions approved by the Cabinet today are interlinked in many ways.

AMRUT

1. AMRUT adopts a project approach to ensure basic infrastructure services relating to water supply, sewerage, storm water drains, transport and development of green spaces and parks with special provision for meeting the needs of children.
2. This mission will be implemented in 500 cities and towns each with a population of one lakh and above, some cities situated on stems of main rivers, a few capital cities and important cities located in hilly areas, islands and tourist areas.
3. The thinking behind AMRUT is to lay a foundation to enable cities and towns to eventually grow into smart cities.