New Delhi, April 15 -- Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal on Wednesday aunched the operational guidelines for the Rs 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund (UCF), aimed at catalysing nearly Rs 4 lakh crore in urban infrastructure investments through market-based financing.
The initiative marks a shift towards leveraging public funds to attract private and institutional capital, with a focus on making cities financially sustainable and investment-ready. The scheme will be implemented from FY 2025 26 to FY 2030 31.
Under the framework, central assistance will be capped at 25 per cent of project cost, while at least 50 per cent of funding is expected to be mobilised through municipal bonds, bank loans and public-private pa...