Responding to an appeal made by A Revanth Reddy, the Telangana Chief Minister, the Central government has extended the Smart Cities Mission till March 2025. Reddy met the Union minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar and requested him to extend the deadline for Smart City Mission till June, 2025. "In the larger interests of the public, CM Revanth Reddy has asked the Central government for an extension of the Smart City Mission until the works are completed.

In a positive reply, the Union government wrote a letter to the states extending the Smart City Mission till March 31, 2025," the press release said. The Centre has earlier set the target of the completion of the Smart City mission by June-end. Several projects have been taken up in Warangal and Karimnagar under Smart Cities Mission in the state. As many as 45 works have already been completed in Warangal while another 66 at the cost of Rs 5.18 billion are under progress. In Karimnagar, 25 works were completed and another 22 works costing Rs 2.87 billion are in progress. The official letter from the Centre clarified that the approved works will be continued and no new works will be sanctioned. The funds for on-going works will be released on a first come, first served basis till September this year. The Centre suggested completing the works at the earliest. (Source: ET)