India’s Smart Cities Mission (SCM), launched in 2015, aims to promote sustainable and inclusive urban development by leveraging technology, urban planning, and citizen participation. While its core focus is infrastructure and service delivery, the mission also indirectly addresses urban poverty and the principle of distributive justice.

Smart City Solutions for Urban Poverty

• Digital Inclusion Programs: Implementation of free Wi-Fi zones and Common Service Centers (CSCs) in slums, providing digital access to 2.5 crore urban poor under Digital India initiative.

• Skill Development Integration: Cities like Pune and Bhubaneswar integrate PMKVY centers with smart infrastructure, training 50,000+ youth annually in emerging technologies.

• Affordable Housing: Convergence with Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) and inclusion of EWS housing in Area-Based Development (ABD), promotes inclusive housing access.

• Healthcare Access: Telemedicine kiosks in urban slums connect residents to specialists - Ahmedabad's 200+ kiosks serve 1 lakh patients annually.

• Financial Inclusion: Digital payment ecosystems and banking correspondents integrated with smart city apps enable formal banking access for informal workers.

Distributive Justice Through Smart Governance

• Transparent Service Delivery: Single-window clearance systems and real-time grievance tracking - Hyderabad's T-Fibre connects 26 lakh households across economic strata.

• Inclusive Infrastructure: Smart bus rapid transit and bicycle sharing ensure affordable mobility - Ahmedabad's BRTS covers slum areas with ₹5 tickets.

• Participatory Planning: Citizen engagement apps like Bangalore's Sahaya allow slum residents to report issues directly to authorities.

• Economic Empowerment: Digital marketplaces for street vendors - Surat's smart vending zones formalized 5,000+ informal businesses.

• Data-Driven Resource Allocation: GIS-based mapping identifies underserved areas for prioritized development - Chennai allocated 40% smart city funds to low-income neighborhoods.

While the Smart Cities Mission is not explicitly framed as an anti-poverty program, it incorporates features that promote inclusivity, access, and urban equity. With stronger safeguards, better convergence with social welfare schemes, and deliberate targeting of the urban poor, the mission can become a powerful vehicle for distributive justice in India’s cities.