Venkaiah Naidu calls for paradigm shift in urban planning and management

Union Minister of Urban Development, Housing and Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs M. Venkaiah Naidu has called for a radical shift in approaches to urban planning, development and management to effectively meet the growing challenges of urbanization being driven by liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation.

In his keynote address at the workshop of Secretaries of Urban Development, Housing and Local Bodies of central and state/UT governments here yesterday, Naidu underscored that people are keen about delivery of quality and assured services for which they are willing to pay and this needs to be factored in urban planning.

Naidu suggested a 'preventive' approach to address the issues of illegal constructions and encroachments through strict enforcement of transparency and accountability on the part of all concerned.

To bridge the rural-urban divide, he suggested efficient 'regional urban planning' using appropriate technologies like GIS.

The Minister stressed the need for ensuring effective public transportation in urban areas besides drinking water, solid waste management, sanitation, conservation of nature and energy.

Naidu said the Narendra Modi-led-government is committed to ensure housing for all by the year 2022, the 75th Year of the country's independence and to achieve this, 'Team India' approach is required with the states/union territories playing a pro-active role.

He informed that all options are being explored to meet the huge resource requirement in this regard and the central government would put in place an enabling policy environment to realize active participation of all stakeholders including banking and financial institutions.

He further said that 'poor' sections of the society are the primary focus of the central government and hence, the initiative of providing universal housing.

The Minister further emphasized the need for large scale skill up-gradation programme for empowering the youth for gainful employment.