India's 'Super 7' Cities to Become Global Economic Hubs: Budget Unveils CER Plan

• The budget identifies 7 City Economic Regions (CERs) for initial development: Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar-Puri-Cuttack Tri-City, Coimbatore-Erode-Tiruppur Cluster, Pune, Surat, Varanasi, and Visakhapatnam.
• These CERs, including 'Temple Towns' like Varanasi, will be developed as economic zones with world-class infrastructure, focusing on agglomeration economy.
• INR 5,000 crore over 5 years is allocated for each CER, with an initial INR 2,000.01 crore for FY 2026-27, based on development roadmaps.
• A 'Challenge Mode' and 'Reform-cum-Results' financing mechanism, along with Public-Private Partnership (PPP), will drive project implementation and efficiency.
• The initiative aims to boost tourism, create jobs, improve living standards in Tier-2/3 cities, and reduce pressure on metros, making them global economic stars.

Why It Matters: India's budget targets 7 key cities for economic transformation, fostering global hubs through strategic investment and development.