The Smart Cities Mission (SCM) was launched in 2015 with the goal of improving the quality of life in 100 cities and towns in India. The report evaluates the progress made in the first five years of the mission and identifies the challenges faced. The selection process for the cities involved a two-stage competition, with cities in each state competing first and then the winners advancing to the national level. The cities chosen were selected based on their existing service levels, institutional capacities, self-financing, past track record, and reforms, as well as the quality of their smart city proposal. The progress of the mission has been uneven, with many cities yet to achieve the desired levels of transformation.
