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Awaiting UT report on smart city funds misappropriation: Centre
The case relates to the balance funds of the Chandigarh Smart City Mission after the Centre’s flagship Smart Cities Mission ended on March 31, 2025
Three months after Chandigarh Member Parliament Manish Tewari raised in the Lok Sabha the alleged misappropriation of ₹125 crore belonging to the Chandigarh Smart City Mission, the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs has said it is still awaiting a detailed report from the UT administration.
In a letter received earlier this month, Union minister of state for housing and urban affairs Tokhan Sahu, referring to Tewari’s zero-hour intervention on April 2, 2026, said, “This Ministry has sought a detailed report from the Chandigarh administration. The same is, however, still awaited.”
He further informed the MP that “a comprehensive reply addressing the issues raised by you will be furnished upon receipt of the requisite information from the Chandigarh administration.”
The case relates to the balance funds of the Chandigarh Smart City Mission after the Centre’s flagship Smart Cities Mission ended on March 31, 2025. The remaining ₹125 crore was transferred to the municipal corporation (MC). It was during the transferring of funds that the fraud came to light. According to the FIR in the case, filed after the MC’s complaint, the fixed deposit receipts (FDRs), worth ₹116.8 crore, issued by the manager of the bank were fake.
Reacting to the ministry’s communication, Tewari said the matter could not be left to a routine administrative inquiry. “The Government of India must immediately direct the Reserve Bank of India to investigate this matter. This is a very sensitive case of alleged collusion, misappropriation and criminal breach of trust involving public funds,” he said.
