Encourage new satellite townships near metro cities

The promise was to encourage new satellite townships near metro cities through reforms and policy initiatives including mixed-use and transit-oriented development. The Union Budget 2024-25 announced Cities as Growth Hubs through economic and transit planning and orderly peri-urban development, and Transit Oriented Development plans for 14 large cities. The 2025-26 Budget then proposed a Rs 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund, with Rs 10,000 crore proposed for 2025-26, to support Cities as Growth Hubs, Creative Redevelopment and water and sanitation. Implementation reporting shows frameworks, technical assistance and city-region selection work rather than completed satellite townships. This supports policy movement, but not delivered township creation at the promised scale. Budget: broad mapped allocation exists through the Urban Challenge Fund and related urban reform support, but no dedicated satellite-township budget line or utilisation was found.