Rahul Gandhi Criticizes Modi's 'Smart Cities' Mission: A Half-Baked Dream?

In a scathing critique of the Modi government's Smart Cities Mission, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the initiative of being a 'half-baked scheme' that has failed to deliver on its grand promises. Addressing the Lok Sabha, Gandhi alleged that the project's true objective was not city-wide development but mere publicity without accountability.

Gandhi demanded clarity on the parameters defining a 'Smart City', questioning the measurable outcomes and tangible benefits brought to citizens. With reports of deaths from contaminated water and infrastructure failures, he urged residents to assess their own cities' progress against the mission's lofty claims.

In response, Minister Tokhan Sahu stated that 97% of projects were completed with significant fund utilization. However, he emphasized that the mission was designed with an area-based development approach, not intended to rejuvenate entire cities but to create replicable models within them.