Why India needs a national urban policy?

India is experiencing a relentless rise in urbanisation. It has one of the largest urban systems in the world, with an urban population of around 377 million. But compared to its peer group of emerging nations—China (45 per cent), Indonesia (54 per cent), Mexico (78 per cent), and Brazil (87 per cent)—India has a far lower level of urbanisation. India’s urban population is anticipated to reach 600 million by 2030. Cities and towns are positioned as the focal points of India’s development trajectory. So, the urban sector is crucial to the structural change of the Indian economy and to maintaining the high pace of economic growth in the coming decades

According to the most recent United Nations statistics, India just surpassed China to become the world’s most populous nation with 1.42 billion people, out of which around 0.498 billion live in urban areas.
One of India’s serious challenges since independence has been the ongoing migration of people from their birthplaces, villages, and occupations. The socio-economic developments in this structure show that nearly one-third of the population currently resides in urban areas. According to statistics, more and more people are moving from the village to the city, and as of today, 49.82 crore people live in urban areas. Even though the majority of the population—about 64.61 per cent—still resides in villages, agriculture no longer accounts for more than 15 per cent of the GDP. The standard of living in villages is declining due to a lack of work, basic services, and facilities for health and education. People are leaving villages for cities in quest of a better life because of this. As a result, slums have developed in practically all of the country’s major cities, including its metropolises. Take the nation’s capital, Delhi, as an example. Basic amenities, including public spaces, public transport, social infrastructure, the environment, food, water, health, and infrastructure like roads and electricity, are all badly affected. This city’s population has grown tremendously over the past several decades and will continue to increase as more people move here every day. Its total area is 1483 square kilometres.
Similar is the scenario in almost all the major cities, including the metros. Due to this mounting population, cities face challenges in terms of deficits in infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. With rapid urbanisation, these problems are going to aggravate, and can cumulatively pose a challenge to India’s growth trajectory. Hence, a new urban planning strategy has been long overdue.

Need for an NUP

It is essential for India to outline its urbanisation strategy and emphasise the value and goals of cities. UN Habitat also mandates that all member nations have such a policy. In addition to resolving the existing urban crisis in India, a pertinent policy is urgently needed if urbanisation is to be used effectively to ensure economic growth and deliver prosperity for all. Additionally, in order to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, it is necessary to focus on areas like inclusive growth, infrastructure finance, and robust urban information systems. Furthermore, in order to streamline development and ensure that all urban missions are brought under a single platform, it is necessary to deal with issues like slum prevention and regularisation, access to healthcare, and environmental sustainability.
The linked problems that affect cities’ expansion require a comprehensive framework that approaches them holistically. The central government must take the lead in sustainable urban development while collaborating closely with state and local authorities. States must take the initiative in order to make cities thriving economic hubs because the majority of issues relating to cities are state subjects. Civic organisations must fully execute the provisions of the 74th Constitutional Amendments Act. Urban policy should help to achieve the objectives of eradicating poverty, unemployment, and underemployment while paying attention to the infrastructure that enables provision of services to citizens.
Overall, urban planning is critical to the development of sustainable, livable, and prosperous cities in India.

Around the world

Globally, about one-third of countries already have a NUP in place. The Indian government’s National Urban Policy Framework 2018 (NUPF) specifies “an integrated and coherent approach towards the future of urban planning in India.” In October 2020, the government released the final version of the NUPF, which envisions “urban areas with distinct identities providing ease of living, responsive governance, a sustainable environment, rapid economic growth, and livelihood opportunities for citizens” while keeping in mind the national priorities and critical role of urban India.

A look at NUPF

According to the framework, the main goal of urban planning in India is to prepare cities for the requirements and wants of a constantly expanding population. Second, urban planning must include people-centred development that recognises the various requirements of every resident, particularly the poor, the differently abled, and the disadvantaged. Third, master planning needs to be adaptable to take into account the frequently shifting socio-economic situations in cities and the areas around them. In order to build a more balanced network of cities in the region, spatial and economic planning should also be combined at the regional level. This will guarantee that urbanisation produces the greatest possible economic benefits.
There are two sections of the NUPF. The first section contains ten sutras, or philosophical principles. Based on the set of these sutras and the relevant functional areas, a list of priorities, activities, and outcomes has been developed within this framework. And in the second section, the ten sutras are employed to regulate ten different functional facets of urban space. It is suggested that states use this strategic intent while creating their urban policies. The NUPF acknowledges that urban planning is a state responsibility. But it does not aim to offer a comprehensive, top-down manual on how to design and run Indian towns. The majority of urban subjects are acknowledged to fall under the purview of states or ULBs (Urban Local Bodies), and solutions must be tailored to the local environment. One of the guiding concepts of NUPF 2020 is that it is undesirable to impose a uniform, strictly codified prescription.
In order to reinforce the current economic interdependence (covering raw materials, natural resources, labour, land, logistics, etc.) and take advantage of economies of scale to ensure that the outcomes are inclusive, the cities are required to support a significant portion of rural areas. The NUPF takes these details into account and aims to improve economic possibilities through a series of interventions at all levels (local, state, and national), which might push India’s economy towards the five trillion dollar mark. These are the interventions:
Developing strategies and long-term physical infrastructure to help boost urban areas’ “economic bases”
Increasing local economic activity by utilising a number of enablers (financing, infrastructure, policy, regulation, institutional support, and governance) to deliver the essential social infrastructure, such as housing, livelihood opportunities in the unofficial sector, and shared service platforms for networking
Supporting mass transit, non-polluting transportation options, bicycle safety, and pedestrian safety (to create safer and healthier cities)
Improving the financial standing of urban local governments, transferring authority to those in charge, establishing goals based on results, and independently using financial resources
Establish a local, real-time urban information hub that is connected to regional, state, and federal databases for data-driven decision-making
Establish technologies and processes to protect the environment, lessen harmful effects, and enhance urban resilience (including preparedness to handle pandemics).
Therefore, based on the federal framework, the states have been urged to create their own state urban policies, including implementation plans. And the central government has committed to provide help with the development of such state projects. In light of urban initiatives taken by the government, we can say that the government of India has greatly strengthened its engagement with cities during the past 10 years.
Now that the government has begun moving in this direction, the new urban planning strategy may soon be put into practice.