Towards Resilient and Prosperous Cities in India

• 25 Jul 2025

For Prelims: World Bank, 74^th Constitutional Amendment Act 1992 , Goods and Services Tax, Smart Cities Mission 

For Mains: Urban climate risks and resilience strategies in India, Challenges of urban planning and sustainable development in India 

Source: IE 

Why in News? 

A World Bank report, in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, titled "Towards Resilient and Prosperous Cities in India", forecasts that by 2030, Indian cities will generate 70% of new employment but will face risks from flooding and extreme heat, urging the need for greater autonomy and climate-resilient planning. 

What are the Key Climate Risks Impacting Indian Cities? 

• Urban Growth: Urban population projected to nearly double to 951 million by 2050. By 2030, 70% of all new jobs will be generated in cities, but rapid urbanisation increases vulnerability to climate shocks. 
  • Indian cities will require USD 2.4 trillion by 2050 to build climate-resilient infrastructure and services. 
• Flooding: Urban sprawl into flood-prone areas and increased concrete construction are worsening pluvial flooding by limiting rainwater absorption. 
  • The World Bank report projects that annual losses due to flooding could reach USD 5 billion by 2030. If adequate adaptation measures are not implemented, these losses are expected to surge to USD 30 billion by 2070. 
  • Just 10–20% road flooding can disrupt over 50% of a city’s transport system. 
• Extreme Heat: The World Bank report highlights the growing intensity of the urban heat island effect in Indian cities, where concrete and asphalt absorb heat during the day and release it at night, leading to elevated nighttime temperatures.  
  • This is expected to lead to 3 lakh heat-related deaths annually by 2050. Solutions like urban greening, and cool roofs could prevent over 1.3 lakh deaths each year, underscoring the need for climate adaptation in urban planning. 
• Air Pollution: In 2023, India was home to 42 of the 50 most polluted cities in the world, up from 39 in 2022. The primary contributors to poor air quality include vehicular emissions, construction dust, and biomass burning.  
  • Poor air quality leads to respiratory diseases, affecting millions of urban residents, especially in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. 

 

What are the Challenges of Urban Autonomy in Enhancing Climate Resilience? 

• Weak Devolution to ULBs: The Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), serve as local self-governments in India, as established by the 74^th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992. 
  • This Act empowered the states to devolve the responsibility of functions including urban planning, regulation of land use, water supply, and slum upgradation to ULBs, but many states haven't fully implemented it.  
• Limited Financial Resources: ULBs often lack the necessary funds to implement climate-resilient infrastructure and policies, hindering their ability to address climate risks effectively. 
  • Most cities struggle to raise revenue,  property tax collection is under 0.2% of GDP compared to 1.1% in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.  
  • India’s devolution of funds to ULBs is significantly lower than in countries like South Africa (2.6%), Mexico (1.6%), the Philippines (2.5%), and Brazil (5.1%). 
    • This limited funding reduces urban productivity and quality of life. The rollout of Goods and Services Tax (GST) further shrank ULBs’ revenue sources, weakening their financial autonomy. 
• Weak Institutional Capacity: Many ULBs lack the technical expertise and administrative capacity to plan and execute climate adaptation strategies. 
• Data Deficiency: ULBs often lack access to accurate, up-to-date data on climate risks and urban infrastructure, which is essential for informed decision-making. 
• Fragmented Governance: Lack of coordination among different urban authorities hampers the integration of climate resilience strategies across various sectors. 

What are the Key Strategies for Ensuring Climate Resilience in Indian Cities? 

• Greater Autonomy for Cities: The World Bank highlights that cities with more autonomy perform better in resource mobilization, climate resilience, and accountability.  
  • Decentralized governance helps them tackle local challenges and boost revenue, especially for climate adaptation. 
  • Strengthening municipal revenue has been a consistent priority across Finance Commissions (FC). The 12th FC pushed for a  Geographical Information System (GIS) and digitisation to improve property tax collection, while the 14th FC recommended empowering municipalities to levy vacant land tax. 
• Urban Planning and Design: Green infrastructure like parks, wetlands, and open spaces helps manage rainwater and reduce urban heat. Schemes like AMRUT 2.0 (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) support this through green space and water-focused projects.  
  • Cities also need climate-resilient urban planning by avoiding construction in floodplains and enforcing climate-aware zoning norms.  
  • Upgrade stormwater drainage by recycling and reusing water for industrial use, and implement the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework under the Smart Cities Mission for efficient planning. 
• Risk Evaluation and Adaptation Measures: Cities should conduct detailed climate risk assessments and incorporate adaptation measures (like Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan model)  into city development plans.  
  • Use geospatial data, climate models, and early warning systems to support real-time risk management and community preparedness. 
• Energy-Efficient and Resilient Buildings: Under the National Mission for Sustainable Habitat (NMSH), promote climate change mitigation and adaptation in the built environment of Indian cities, focusing on areas like sustainable buildings, efficient waste management, and low-carbon urban transport systems. 
  • The India Cooling Action Plan projects an eightfold rise in cooling demand by 2037. Energy-efficient buildings can cut emissions, improve comfort, and enhance indoor air quality. 
• Enhance Investment: Public-private partnership (PPP) plays a vital role in financing climate resilience projects. Encouraging private investment in climate-adapted infrastructure can help cities leverage additional funding and technological expertise. 

Drishti Mains Question:

Indian cities are at the frontline of climate change. Discuss the key risks and evaluate India’s approach to building urban climate resilience. 

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year’s Question (PYQs) 

Mains

Q. The frequency of urban floods due to high intensity rainfall is increasing over the years. Discussing the reasons for urban floods, highlight the mechanisms for preparedness to reduce the risk during such events. (2016)

Q. Do government schemes for up-lifting vulnerable and backward communities by protecting required social resources for them, lead to their exclusion in establishing businesses in urban economies? (2014)