Urban Planning Reforms: NITI Aayog | 18 Sep 2021

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Recently, NITI Aayog has launched the report titled ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’.

Key Points

• Urbanisation in India:
  
  • Urbanisation Level (National):
    
    • India’s population stood at 1210 million in 2011, with an urbanisation level of 31.1% (Census of India 2011).
      
      • Urbanisation is an increase in the number of people living in towns and cities.
    • The distribution of urban centres and the pace of urbanisation is not uniform across the country.
      
      • Over 75% of the urban population of the country is in 10 States: Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Kerala.
  • State-wise Scenario:
    
    • Above National Average: Goa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Gujarat have attained over 40% urbanisation.
    • Below National Average: Bihar, Odisha, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh continue to be at a lower level of urbanisation than the national average of 31.1%.
    • Union Territories: NCT of Delhi, Daman and Diu, Chandigarh, and Lakshadweep, show above 75% urbanisation.
• Need for Reforming Urban Planning Capacity:
  
  • Increasing Urbanisation: India’s urban population is 11% of that of the world.
    
    • However, in absolute numbers, the urban population in India is more than highly urbanised countries/regions like the United States, Japan, Western Europe, and South America.
    • During 2011-36, urban growth will be responsible for 73% of the rise in total population in India.
  • Urbanisation is Central to India’s Economy: Urbanisation contributes nearly 60% to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
    
    • However, there exists large, untapped economies of scale.
  • India’s National Growth Targets:.
    
    • Economic Growth Target: USD 5 trillion economy by 2024.
    • Employment Target: Total workforce estimated to be 0.64 billion by 2030, of which 0.26 billion to be employed in urban areas.
    • Infrastructure Targets: Creation of 11 large industrial corridors as part of the National Industrial Corridor Programme, several multi-modal logistic parks, etc.
    • Environmental Protection Targets: River rejuvenation, clean air in cities, etc.
  • National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP): The urban sector has a significant share of 17% in the NIP.
    
    • NIP facilitates infrastructure projects in the country with a projected investment of Rs 111 lakh crore during the period 2020-25.
  • India’s Global Commitments:
    
    • SDGs (Goal 11): Promote urban planning as one of the recommended methods for achieving sustainable development.
    • UN-Habitat’s New Urban Agenda: It was adopted at Habitat III in 2016. It puts forth principles for the planning, construction, development, management, and improvement of urban areas.
    • UN-Habitat (2020) mentions spatial sustainability, as a concept. It suggests that the spatial conditions of a city can enhance its power to generate social, economic and environmental value and well-being.
    • Paris Agreement: India’s National Determined Contributions (NDCs) includes the goals to reduce the emission intensity of the country's GDP by 33 to 35% by 2030 from 2005 level.
• Recommendations:
  
  • Planning of Healthy Cities: Central Sector Scheme ‘500 Healthy Cities Programme’, for a period of 5 years, wherein priority cities and towns would be selected jointly by the states and local bodies.
    
    • The Programme can lead to optimum utilization of urban land as well.
  • Re-engineering of Urban Governance: To bring in more institutional clarity and also multi-disciplinary expertise to solve urban challenges.
    
    • The formation of an apex committee at the state level is recommended to undertake a regular review of planning legislations (including town and country planning or urban and regional development acts or other relevant acts).
  • Strengthening the Role of the Private Sector: These include the adoption of fair processes for procuring technical consultancy services, strengthening project structuring and management skills in the public sector, and empanelment of private sector consultancies.
  • Measures for Strengthening Human Resource and Match Demand–Supply: The constitution of a ‘National Council of Town and Country Planners’ as a statutory body of the Government of India.
    
    • Also, a ‘National Digital Platform of Town and Country Planners’ is suggested to be created within the National Urban Innovation Stack of MoHUA.
  • Citizen Outreach Campaign’ for demystifying urban planning.
  • Strengthening Urban Planning Education System.

Source: PIB