The Indian Government recently gave the go-ahead for the ‘City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0)’, a major project linked to the Smart Cities Mission. The program targets integrated waste management and climate-oriented reform efforts and is set to run for four years between 2023 and 2027.
Overview of CITIIS 2.0
CITIIS 2.0 is designed to build on the strengths and accomplishments of its predecessor, CITIIS 1.0. Launched in 2018, CITIIS 1.0 consisted of three main parts: twelve city-level projects chosen through an evaluation process, capacity-building initiatives in Odisha, and national-level integrated urban management efforts led by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
In keeping with these themes, CITIIS 2.0 will focus on four key areas: sustainable mobility; public open spaces; urban e-governance and ICT; and social and organisational innovation for low-income settlements.
Funding and Support Mechanism
The funding for CITIIS 2.0 will come from loans provided by AFD and KfW, as well as technical assistance grants from the European Union. It includes three primary components to support program implementation. These include financial and technical backing for up to 18 Smart City projects with an emphasis on Integrated Waste Management.
Moreover, all States and Union Territories will receive assistance for Climate action. National-level interventions will also be implemented to promote scalability across all cities and towns.
Significance of CITIIS 2.0
CITIIS 2.0 is of huge significance in augmenting the climate initiatives of the Indian Government through the channels of its existing National Programs such as the National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, AMRUT 2.0, Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 and the Smart Cities Mission. Furthermore, it will make a positive impact on India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and commitments made at the Conference of Parties (COP26).
Smart Cities Mission (SCM)
Launched in 2015, the Government’s Smart Cities Mission aims at stimulating economic growth and enhancing the quality of life of its people through local development and technology use to generate beneficial outcomes for citizens.
The mission, which is centrally sponsored by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, is carried out through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) at the city level. Its deadline has been extended to June 2023, with an aim to develop 100 selected cities as Smart Cities.
Other Urban Development Programs by the Indian Government
In addition to CITIIS 2.0 and the Smart Cities Mission, the Government of India has undertaken other noteworthy initiatives for urban development. These include the Atal Mission for Urban Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs), Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework 2.0 and The Urban Learning Internship Program (TULIP).
