The National Democratic Alliance government is getting ready to scale down the size and speed of its signature Smart City Mission, if the need arises. Not keen to delay the project, the Centre may fund only 10 cities, instead of the proposed 20, in the first year, if proposals don’t match quality yardsticks.

The idea is to not slip on the target date (January 26) for announcing the first list of smart cities, a segment that could mean a long-term opportunity of $50 billion in India.

December 15 is the cut-off date to be eligible for the Centre’s funds. If states submit “inadequate or incomplete” area development plans to the urban development ministry by then, the number of cities to be picked up for the first round would be lower, a source in the government told Business Standard. “The government is sure of at least 10 quality proposals, though it would like to start with 20,” the source said.

Most BJP-ruled states are ready with their city development plans, according to an official in the urban development ministry.

....

The cities which could make it to the first list include Pune, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Vizag, Jaipur, Udaipur, Surat, Bhopal and NDMC area of Delhi, people tracking the process said.

....

A few months ago the Cabinet had cleared Rs 50,000 crore for the project and another Rs 48,000 crore for AMRUT (another city rejuvenation plan) — both schemes were part of the election plank of NDA last year.

Many of the states are going slow on their smart city plans because of the push and pull between greenfield, or new projects, and brownfield, or retrofitting projects, sectoral experts pointed out. The recent Chennai floods may also have delayed the plans of some states.