The Smart City Mission, the ambitious Government scheme that aims to develop 100 Smart Cities in the country, has successfully crossed the first milestone with the declaration of 20 ‘Lighthouse’ cities in Round I. Further, 13 other cities have been shortlisted on a ‘fast track’ basis. Hence, 33 cities are already on their way to realise their vision to become more inclusive and sustainable. This article covers the progress made by the Smart City Mission so far and the challenges faced by the cities. It also covers the vision of M Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of
Urban Development, Housing and
Urban Poverty Alleviation, and
Parliamentary Affairs on transforming India into a land of smart cities.