Aafrin Kidwai 
As part of its 6th Anniversary celebrations for Smart Cities Mission, the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) announced the results of the India Smart Cities Awards Contest (ISAC) 2020. Tirupati and Indore are winners of the Smart Cities Award 2020 in the Sanitation Category. While Tirupati was chosen for its bioremediation and bio-mining, Indore was given the award for its municipal waste management system.
The Overall Winners of India Smart Cities Award- ISAC 2020 are Indore and Surat. Surat has won the award for the third consecutive time.
The Smart City awards were given across the themes of Social Aspects, Governance, Culture, Urban Environment, Sanitation, Economy, Built Environment, Water, Urban Mobility.
About the Smart Cities Mission
On June 25 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Smart Cities Mission (SCM), AMRUT and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U). During the last six years, Rs. 12 lakh crore has been invested to develop urban infrastructure in terms of water supply, sanitation, housing and promote the use of data, technology and innovation in the planning and management of India’s cities. Till date, 69 Smart Cities have developed and operationalised their Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs).
Of the total proposed projects under the Smart Cities Mission, 5,890 projects (114% by number) worth Rs 1,78,500 crore (87% by value) have been tendered so far, work orders have been issued for 5,195 projects (101% by number) worth Rs 1,45,600 crore (71% by value). 2,655 projects (51% by number) worth Rs 45,000 crore (22% by value) have also been fully completed and are operational (Source: Press Information Bureau of India).
Picture credit: Screenshot from the Smart Cities Mission Twitter feed
