Solution

In a push to support projects promoting a circular economy and climate-oriented reform actions, the Union Cabinet has approved the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0). The scheme will run for a period of four years from 2023 to 2027.CITIIS 2.0 aims to leverage and scale up the learnings of CITIIS 1.0, which was launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs with a total outlay of Rs 933 crore.The funding for CITIIS 2.0 would include a loan of 200 million euros or Rs 1,760 crore with AFD and German development bank KfW contributing 100 million euros each, and a technical assistance grant of 12 million euros or Rs 106 crore from the EU.All states and Union territories will be eligible for support on demand basis. The states will be provided support to (a) set-up/strengthen their existing climate centres/climate cells/ equivalents; (b) create state- and city-level climate data observatories; (c) facilitate climate-data-driven planning, and develop climate action plans; and (d) build capacities of municipal functionaries.To achieve these objectives, the PMU or programme management unit at NIUA will coordinate the provision of technical assistance and strategic support to state governments.