NKDA ropes in IIT Kgp for 'Happiness & Well-being' project

The New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) has roped in IIT Kharagpur for a unique project called 'Happiness and Well-being' aimed at giving better life to people of the township.
"We will work with NKDA for the project which is aimed at giving a holistic happy environment to people living in the area. IIT-KGP will offer expertise in this regard. The institute will help in setting up a road map to the state-run civic authorities," IIT Kharagpur, Director Prof Partha Pratim Chakrabarti told PTI at a workshop in New Town today.
Professor and Head, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences, IIT Kharagpur, Priyadarshi Patnaik said, "We are aiming to increase the happiness index of the people living in the township by involving everyone in the effort. IIT Kharagpur has already been working on the issue for some time."

Citing instance, he said, "Say there is an old age home and a children's home in the same locality. So ideally the inmates of the old age home would guide the children in their education and mentor them, while the children will extend helping hand to their 'grand parents' in their daily lives and during ailment. Thus two neighbours will complement each other."
"This can just be one example of 'Happiness & Well Being' concept. I mean the people, the clubs, the concerned organisations will not work disparately in a locality but chip in to make a better neighbourhood with support from the administration. All stakeholders will make a better livable place," he said.

Additional Chief Secretary and Chairman NKDA, Debashis Sen said "We have entered into an arrangement with IIT-KGP's Rekhi Centre for Science of Happiness and the aim was to increase 'wellness feel and effect' in people's mind.

"The city fathers will think on these aspects to gift the people of the area an improved stress-free life," Sen said.
From aspiring a pollution-free air to congestion-free commuting, one should also have other indexes of happiness on the rising side," he emphasised.
"Since the IIT KGP had been already running Rekhi Centre for Science of Happiness to make students embrace happiness, their professionals can offer us expertise in a broader domain," Sen said.

The parametres are - assessment report on existing happiness, subjective well-being and quality of life at new town, assessment report on existing social and community infrastructure, guidelines for improving happiness level at new town, feasibility study of smart and other technologies for enhancing quality of life.