UP govt's go ahead to Noida, Gr Noida for Global Sustainable Cities 2025 initiative

The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday permitted the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration to participate in the prestigious Global Sustainable Cities 2025 initiative, officials said.

Noida and Greater Noida, the twin cities in Gautam Buddh Nagar, adjoining Delhi, were in November invited by the Global Sustainability Index Institute (UNGSII) to become a member of the initiative.

Noida and Greater Noida are among the only 25 cities across the world which have been selected in five categories by the UN Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cities initiative, Senior UN Advisor and CEO UNGSIIRolandSchatz had said during a visit here when he extended the formal invitation to the district administration.

"After due consideration, Noida and Greater Noida are permitted to participate in the SDG Cities initiative," Chief Secretary, UP government, Anup Chandra Pandey said in a letter on Tuesday.

His letter came in response to a letter by District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh on December 1, 2018.

Singh welcomed the development and said the "great step" by the state government would have far-reaching implications in times to come.

"The government's approval is interest of the people in Noida and Greater Noida. The twin cities will be qualitatively very different from other cities in the country in the future after becoming a member of the initiative," he told PTI.

Noida and Greater Noida have been chosen under the 'University City' category of the initiative along with cities such as Cambridge (UK), Palo Alto (US), Hiedelberg (Germany), Espoo (Finland).

The twin cities, according to officials, have eight universities, over 600 primary government schools, 139 public schools affiliated to the CBSE with a collective student strength running into lakhs.

Signing a contract will enable Noida and Greater Noida to get "multi-million dollar finance and implementation know-how for each of the 17 SDGs along the defined KPIs (key performance indicators)", among others from the UNGSII Foundation, an official note had said.

The district will have to shell out 100,000 Euros every year till 2025 as administrative support to the initiative from participant cities in return of funds and resources for capacity-building and working towards achieving the SDGs, Schatz had told PTI in an interview earlier.

In his letter to the government, the district magistrate had suggested roping in local private partners to arrange the funds in the form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in order to reduce burden on the state.

In September 2015, 193 heads of state, including India, had pledged their commitment to implement the 17 Sustainable Development Goals at the United Nations.

The 17 SDGs, otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

The UNGSII Foundation was created to assist and accelerate the implementation process.