Socio-economic data to guide digitised mapping of urban India

In a novel approach, the local administration will generate data related to Terror history of a place, mapping potential terror risk sites and devising appropriate response management system. The systematic plan ascertains whether administration has a role to play in such situations, detailing equipment and manpower required for effective handling. Not only that, Urban Local Bodies (ULB) will perform periodic drills to check preparedness levels.

Similarly, city areas prone to natural disasters like earthquake, flooding, fire and landslides will be mapped — complete with a response system and officials responsible. All this is part of a new initiative undertaken by the urban development ministry.

The plan seeks to map city’s socio-economic infrastructure like availability of basic healthcare and education — whether municipal schools and basic health clinics are located in the vicinity of informal or formal urban poor settlements.

As this data is generated, layer by layer, it will be mapped on to the physical and political map of the city. For instance, at the click of a button, it will bring up city areas inhabited by the poor, areas not covered by the municipalities’ health and education initiatives, and with little or no access to clean drinking water facility.

The CDP aims to integrate socio-economic development with infrastructure development by demarcating spaces for industry and services in the city, providing required infrastructure and streamlining licensing process through single window clearances. In urban centres, coupled with availability of skilled workforce, such initiatives will attract investment from retail industry and services sector.

A CDP enables these cities to look at local economic development in a strategic manner. Towards this end, the ministry has asked private consulting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers to come up with a CDP toolkit modelled on socio-economic development parameters. Thereafter, a committee consisting of town planners, local and central Government representatives will ratify the detailed plan, before it is disseminated to the cities.

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