Allocation for Smart Cities Mission lowered by nine percent when compared with the Revised Estimates for the financial year 2022-23, said the Centre for Policy Research (CPR India) in its Budget Brief regarding the Union Budget for the financial year 2023-24. As per Budget Estimates (BEs), the Indian government allocated ₹ 8,000 crore ($973 million) for Smart Cities Mission whereas it allocated ₹8,800 crore ($1 billion) as per Revised Estimates for the previous financial year. Till FY 2022-23, ₹ 45,915 ($5.584 billion) crore has been allocated for the Mission, accounting for 96 percent of anticipated Government of India funds for the same. 64 percent of smart city projects completed: CPR said that as of December last year, 64 percent of the smart city projects had been completed, with a total project worth of ₹ 92,439 crore ($11 billion). “On average, cities selected in Round 2 have the highest completion rate (60 percent). Fast Track cities and Round 4 cities had the lowest at 37 percent each,” said the brief. Why it matters: In 2022 alone, at least three smart city projects have been introduced that use surveillance technologies and artificial intelligence for “law and order” purposes. In the past, there have even been projects like the Lucknow Safe City projects that gravely infringed on people’s privacy. The allocation of funds for these projects thus indicates what’s to come next in terms of this potential ‘state surveillance.’ FM makes no mention of smart cities: While Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did talk…
