2023: A Year of Satisfaction and Some Concerns

As we look back at the year gone by, we realise that, as usual, there have been many hits and a few misses in various spheres. Urbanisation driven by rural-urban migration has remained a distinctive trend during the year, as in the past.

In India, we had a year of deficient monsoons under the shadow of El Nino. As expected, this has put some strain on the rural economy, affecting livelihoods and incomes. While the government has responded in time by putting in place income support measures and others like extending free rations schemes for the vulnerable population, it is expected that rural-urban migration may increase, thereby acceleration of urbanisation. This could put added pressure on cities and their administrations.

In spite of the stress in the agri sector, the lingering Russia-Ukraine war, and the more recent Israel-Hamas conflict in West Asia, the Indian economy has displayed admirable resilience and remains the fastest-growing large economy. On the infrastructure front, there has been a rapid scaling up of public investment for modernization. The Indian Railways is an example. There has been a big thrust on track upgradation, stations modernization, and high-speed trains. A number of Vande Bharat trains have been operationalized during the year. Within cities, there is a rapid rollout of metro networks. As networks are being commissioned in a phased manner, there is much hope among the people for improved mobility options that are modern, efficient, reliable, and affordable. These will improve livability by giving much-needed impetus to public transportation, which is an urgent need in order to address pollution, congestion, and road safety. On mobility, there has been good progress with electric vehicles too. The numbers on the road are growing, supported by government policy interventions, including subsidies. The trend is secular, seen across buses, cars, and two-wheelers. The momentum needs to be maintained. Along with our thrust on solar and wind power, this will cement India’s leadership position in renewable energy.

Among the issues of concern is the air quality problem faced by cities in the country. Delhi has been much affected during this winter, as in earlier years. In addition, we have seen newer cities face air quality issues, cities such as Mumbai. One hopes that this is transient on account of local climate conditions. The floods in Chennai and other locations are concerning too. These highlight the issues of climate change and the fact that cities remain more vulnerable to its impacts. The recent COP28 International Climate Summit in Dubai emphasised, among others, the role of cities and local governments in this fight to ensure that the targets of the Paris Agreement are kept well within reach. You will find more on the COP28 deliberation in this issue. During the year end, emergence of COVID infections in some states with a new strain has caused concern. Governments at all levels have assured of full preparedness, instilling confidence.

While many recent developments bolster the prospects for a brighter future for our cities and citizens, some other areas need attention. The rising migration into cities is constantly making new demands on cities for services – water, affordable housing, and public healthcare, for example. These will need renewed focus. We at Urban Update will endeavour to bring to you some of these in issues of 2024. We wish all our readers a Happy New Year.