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UPSC MainsGeneral Studies Paper IIndian SocietyPractice question

Smart Cities, Urban Poverty and Distributive Justice

How does the Smart Cities Mission in India address issues of urban poverty and distributive justice?

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Introduce the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) and link it to constitutional ideals of distributive justice under Article 39(b). Analyze how the mission addresses urban poverty and spatial equity across basic services, livelihoods, human capital, and mobility. Conclude by highlighting critical structural limitations such as Area-Based Development skew and advocating for a participatory 'Right to the City' approach.

Model answer

417 words

Introduction

Launched in 2015 across 100 cities, India's Smart Cities Mission (SCM) aims to drive economic growth and improve urban quality of life through comprehensive physical, institutional, social, and economic infrastructure. By integrating digital technology and spatial re-engineering, the mission attempts to operationalize distributive justice under Article 39(b) of the Constitution by narrowing socio-economic disparities and addressing multifaceted urban poverty.

Addressing Urban Poverty

The mission targets the vulnerabilities of low-income urban dwellers by improving basic infrastructure, supporting livelihoods, and upgrading human capital:

  • Convergence for Basic Services and Shelter: SCM works in convergence with missions like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U) and AMRUT to facilitate in-situ slum redevelopment, expand 24x7 piped water access, and construct community sanitation facilities to mitigate deprivation.
  • Formalising Informal Livelihoods: Through the creation of designated 'Smart Vending Zones' (as seen in cities like Surat and Lucknow), street vendors are integrated into formal urban space and supported with digital payment facilities and micro-credit linkages under the PM SVANidhi scheme.
  • Investing in Human Capital: The mission has upgraded over 9,400 municipal school classrooms with smart learning aids and modernized more than 1,600 Anganwadi centres, directly reducing out-of-pocket educational and developmental expenses for underprivileged households.

Promoting Distributive Justice

Distributive justice entails fair spatial and civic resource allocation across marginalized and privileged urban classes alike:

  • Inclusive and Affordable Mobility: The expansion of subsidised Bus Rapid Transit Systems (BRTS), electric feeder buses, and dedicated non-motorised transit corridors connects peripheral informal settlements with central economic zones, addressing spatial segregation.
  • Equitable and Accountable Governance: Over 100 operational Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs) and digital grievance redressal portals have reduced bureaucratic gatekeeping, enabling marginalized populations to report civic service failures and receive early warnings for urban floods and disasters.

Structural Limitations in Achieving Equity

Despite these interventions, significant structural concerns impede the realization of equitable outcomes:

  • Spatial Skew of Area-Based Development (ABD): Approximately 80% of project funding is concentrated in ABD enclaves that cover less than 10% of municipal land, exacerbating spatial inequality between elite enclaves and neglected peripheries.
  • Democratic Deficit via SPVs: The governance structure relying on corporate Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) frequently sidesteps elected urban local bodies and ward committees mandated by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, blunting citizen participation of the urban poor.

Conclusion

To achieve genuine distributive justice, urban development must transition from technocratic enclave-focused investments to a comprehensive, pan-city equity framework. Re-empowering local ward committees and enshrining the 'Right to the City' paradigm will ensure that India's urban transformation remains socially just, inclusive, and democratically governed.

Key facts to remember

definition
Right to the City

A concept emphasizing the collective right of all urban inhabitants—particularly the marginalized—to inhabit, utilize, participate in, and transform urban spaces democratically.

statistic

Under the Smart Cities Mission, approximately 80% of total project outlays are concentrated on Area-Based Development projects occupying less than 10% of the selected cities' total land area.

— Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN)
scheme
Smart Cities Mission (2015)

A centrally sponsored initiative covering 100 cities to promote core infrastructure, sustainable environment, and smart solutions through Area-Based Development and Pan-City initiatives.

example
Smart Vending Zones in Surat and Lucknow

Urban local bodies integrated informal street vendors into municipal spatial planning with designated vending kiosks, digital payment infrastructure, and PM SVANidhi microfinance support.

Frequently asked questions

How does the Smart Cities Mission governance impact democratic representation?

Implementation is driven by corporate Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) managed largely by bureaucrats and technical experts, which often bypass elected municipal councillors and constitutional ward committees envisioned under the 74th Amendment.

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