‘Facilitate urbanisation or economy gets hit’

The high-powered expert committee on urban infrastructure chaired by Isher Judge Ahluwalia today submitted its report to Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath and Housing and Poverty Alleviation Minister Kumari Selja here.

“There is a requirement for capacity building and institutional building to sustain growth in urban sector. We will study the report and take steps to operationalise it,” said Nath after receiving the report.

Urban population is expected to increase from about 350 million in 2010 to 600 million in 2031.

The committee has delved into seven sectors including water supply,sewerage,solid waste management,storm water drains,urban roads,urban transport,street lighting and traffic support infrastructure.

It is estimated that urban infrastructure will require a total investment of Rs 39.2 lakh crore over the next 20 years with Rs 17.3 lakh crore for urban roads,Rs 8 lakh crore for sectors delivering urban services such as water supply,sewerage,solid waste management and storm water deains,Rs 4 lakh crore for renewal and redevelopment including slums.

Nath said “Because urbanisation challenges are so profound,that it cannot be looked into for just Five-Year Plan,it has to be looked at in much larger perspective.”

He said that it has been established that growth and urbanisation go hand in hand.

Seeking continuation of JNNURM programmes for cities,Nath said,”The report looks into the challenges of urbanisation as we are in the last year of the JNNURM programme of the 11th Plan.”

As a flagship programme of the UPA,the JNNURM was launched in December 2005 for seven years.

“The idea is to ensure the next JNNURM programme for the 12th Plan,13th Plan and also 14th Plan,” he said adding “with India’s growing younger population,challenges are even greater. The scope of urbanisation is much more as the mobility of younger population is much more.”

Selja said with the increase in urbanisation,challenges are bound to increase manifold which has been brought out very clearly in the report.

She said the biggest challenge will be in the form of capacity building and resources.

“Do we have the capacity to face the challenge,” she asked.

The committee is of the view that India’s urban local bodies need to be strengthened as local self government with clear functions,independent,financial resources and autonomy to take decisons on investment and service delivery.