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Message: [QUOTE="Queen, post: 86756, member: 27"] A 1 lakh crore cash injection just flipped urban funding from handouts to hustle, forcing cities to chase market money or miss out. Urban Challenge Fund rollout [LIST] [*]The Union Government greenlit the Urban Challenge Fund with Rs 1 lakh crore backing. [*]Narendra Modi led the Cabinet that cleared the scheme. [*]Central aid covers 25 percent of each project tab. [*]Cities must lock in 50 percent from market channels. [/LIST] Five-year investment push [LIST] [*]The plan runs from FY 2025 to FY 2031. [*]Extension stays on the table until FY 2034. [*]Officials project Rs 4 lakh crore flowing into cities. [*]Shift replaces grant culture with market-tied financing. [/LIST] Financing rules and selection [LIST] [*]Municipal bonds and bank loans can fund half. [*]Public-private partnerships count toward that 50 percent mark. [*]States and Urban Local Bodies can chip in the remaining funds. [*]Proposals face a competitive challenge-based screening process. [/LIST] Credit boost for smaller cities [LIST] [*]A Rs 5,000 crore pool will prop up 4,223 cities. [*]Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities get first-time market access. [*]Credit Repayment Guarantee Scheme backs smaller Urban Local Bodies. [*]All cities above 10 lakh population qualify automatically. [/LIST] Eligibility across regions [LIST] [*]Major industrial cities with over 1 lakh residents make the cut. [*]Hilly States and Northeastern States are covered. [*]Smaller Urban Local Bodies under 1 lakh stay eligible. [*]In principle, every city can tap the Urban Challenge Fund. [/LIST] [/QUOTE]

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