Karnal, Feb. 22 -- Nearly 60% of the 112 developmental projects under the Haryana Start City Mission implemented in Karnal and Faridabad experienced delays ranging from a few days to more than four years due to lack of encumbrance-free sites, site clearance, and drawing revisions, revealed comptroller and auditor general of India (CAG) report, tabled on the first day of the budget session of the Haryana Assembly on Friday.

The Union ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) launched the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) in June 2015, under which, two cities in Haryana - Faridabad (May 2016) and Karnal (June 2017) - were selected for a duration of five years (2015-16 to 2019-20), but was extended up to March 2025 by the Centre.

The Mission ...