This report highlights how the Smart Cities Mission has enhanced the ability of participating cities in India to govern. This includes allowing cities the choice to interpret “smartness” in contextually relevant ways, enabling flexible governance mechanisms through institutional innovation, and improving coordination through data-driven and technology infrastructure.
Viewed through an urban governance lens, the Smart Cities Mission's contributions have reinvigorated efforts around localized capacity enhancement, citizen-responsiveness planning and financial viability of urban rejuvenation interventions.