City Economic Regions
Acknowledging cities as India's engines of growth, innovation and opportunities, she stated that there should be a focus on tier II, tier III and temple towns which require modern infrastructure and basic amenities.
She announced allocation of Rs. 5,000 crore per CER over five years for implementing plans through a challenged mode with a reform-cum-result based financing mechanism.
She also reaffirmed that the Union Budget 2026-27 aims amplifies the potential of cities to deliver economic power of agglomeration by mapping city economic regions based on their specific growth drivers.
The ministry will also develop seven high-speed rail corridors between cities as "growth connectors". She cited, "from Mumbai to Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi and Varanasi-Siliguri."