URBAN CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN INDIA

Conference on Future CitiesNew Delhi

Feb. 24-25, 2014

Chetan Vaidya Director SPA New Delhi

Organized by MHRD. IIT Roorkee, and UK

URBAN INDIA POPULATION TRENDS

Total Urban Population in 2011 : 377.2 million

% Urban Population to total in 2011: 31.16% (50+% in 2050):

No. Urban Centers: 7500, Million plus cities: 54

Large number of non-municipal towns

% GDP in urban Areas: 70%

% of Urban Poor: 29.8% (76.47 Million in 2009-10)

Urban Infrastructure Investment Requirement: Rs. 39200 billion (US$

871.11 billion) for 20 years

Large variation among Sates

India needs to improve its urban infrastructure and governance to achieve economic objectives

Several initiatives to improve urban governance and Infrastructure: – JNNURM- reform linked investment program– Public Private Partnership– e-Governance in Municipalities – Market Based Financing– Urban Transport Policy– National Urban Sanitation Policy– Service Level Benchmarking Program – Rajiv Awas Yojana (Slum Free City)– 13th CFC

URBAN INITIATIVES IN INDIA

JNNURM Mission provides Reform Linked Investment for Urban Infrastructure for cities undertaking reforms (2005-14)

• Constraints– Absence of Long-Term City-Level Planning– Inadequate Staff Capacity (at Central, State and Local Levels as well as

private)– Inadequate Project Identification, Planning and Implementation– One size fit all cities and states approach not working – Critical Reforms not understood and implemented – Inadequate Communication

It brought focus on urban infrastructure and Governance

Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM)

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• Need Sustainable, Inclusive and Smart cities.

• Mayor has executive powers for managing and planning cities. Improved revenue base of local bodies with unlocking of land values.

• Focus on public urban transport and not individual transport.

• Spaces for cycling and walking.

• Land use plans are to be integrated with public transport and with high density, higher floor space and mixed land use.

• Slum upgradtion and not new housing for poor.

• Affordable housing through market systems

• Extensive use of Communication Information and Technology (ICT) Smart City

STRATEGY

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 • Knowledge Sharing• Technology for Urban Infrastructure-Project Planning,

Implementation and Maintenance• Urban Planning and Design • Role of Private Sector Participation in Delivery of

Services• Urban Transport • Smart City Options• Capacity Building

POSSIBLE LINKAGES WITH UK INSTITUTIONS 

CONCLUSIOINS

Urbanization is Inevitable in India Urban India offers a number of Challenges and

Opportunities for Employment GenerationThe Urban Problems are SurmountableWe need Sustainable, Inclusive and Smart Urban

Planning Need Knowledge Sharing and Partnerships among

Urban Stakeholders to Learn from Each Other

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c.vaidya@spa.ac.inTHANK YOU