Naidu to global funding agencies: Focus on inclusive urban development

Placing emphasis on a five-point agenda of affordable housing, provision of other basic urban infrastructure, solid waste management, environment friendly public transport and skill development needs, newly elected president of the Governing Council of UN-Habitat and Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation M. Venkaiah Naidu today urged international funding agencies to support programmes aimed at promoting inclusive urban development.

Delivering his presidential address at the plenary session here, Naidu said according this priority would ensure public spaces and opportunities in urban areas being shared by all equitably.

He also suggested decentralization of decision making, devolution of functions, funds and functionaries to urban local bodies, reform of administrative and financial processes, augmenting resource collection and enhanced citizen participation for effective functioning of urban local bodies.

Emphasizing that growing urbanization is an irreversible process, particularly in developing countries', Naidu called for collective action through effective global partnerships to catalyze global economic growth.

He informed the gathering that in India, the process of urban renaissance has been set in motion through new decision making, planning and execution methods.

"From a state of total neglect of urban planning and execution, urban local bodies in India are now enthusiastically obtaining credit ratings that impact a wide range of urban governance issues. This is a clear sign of urban renaissance in India," he asserted.

He made a mention of new urban missions like the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Smart City Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) and the measures for promoting environment friendly public transport are aimed at ensuring inclusive and sustainable urban development.