The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 25th November 2024 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

India’s Urban Infrastructure Financing, Needs and Reality 

Why in News?

India’s urban population will increase from 400 million in the last decade to 800 million over the next three decades. While this offers an opportunity to transform India’s urban landscape, there are significant financial challenges that must be overcome to get there. A recent World Bank report estimates that India will require about ₹70 lakh crore by 2036 to meet its urban infrastructure needs. Current government investment (2018 figures) in urban infrastructure stands at around ₹1.3 lakh crore annually. This is just a little over one-fourth of the required ₹4.6 lakh crore per year. Broadly, about 50% is estimated for basic urban services, with the other half for urban transport.

What is Urbanisation?

India’s Initiatives Related to Urban Governance

Institutions:

• Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA): Responsible for creating national policies and managing central government schemes for urban development.
• State Departments of Urban Development: Carry out central policies and create state-specific rules for urban development.
• Municipal Corporations/Municipalities: Handle local planning, development control, and service delivery in their areas.
• Urban Development Authorities (UDAs): Special organizations set up for the development of certain urban areas or projects.

Constitutional and Legal Frameworks:

• Articles 243Q, 243W: Give power to local governments (Municipalities) for urban planning and development in their areas.
• 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992: Provided a constitutional status to urban local bodies and added Part IX-A to the Constitution.
• 12th Schedule: Lists the powers, responsibilities, and duties of Municipalities.

Government Initiatives:

• Smart Cities
• AMRUT Mission
• Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban
• Aspirational District Programme
• Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihood Mission (DAY-NULM)

India’s Global Commitments Regarding Urban Development:

• SDGs Goal 11: Encourages urban planning as a way to achieve sustainable development.
• UN-Habitat's New Urban Agenda: Adopted at Habitat III in 2016, it provides guidelines for planning, building, developing, managing, and enhancing urban areas.
• UN-Habitat (2020): Suggests that a city's layout can increase its ability to create social, economic, and environmental benefits and improve well-being.
• UNFCCC Goal: At COP 26 in November 2021, India announced its goal to reach net zero emissions by 2070.
• Headquarters Agreement (HQA): India has ratified this agreement with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

Challenges Related to Urbanisation

• Air Pollution and Environmental Degradation: Urban areas in India are facing serious air pollution, mainly due to cars, factories, and construction work.
• Urban Flooding and Drainage Infrastructure: Poor drainage systems and the filling in of natural water bodies cause frequent flooding in cities during monsoon season.
• Examples of recent major floods include:
• Hyderabad in 2020 and 2021
• Chennai in November 2021
• Bengaluru and Ahmedabad in 2022
• Parts of Delhi in July 2023
• Nagpur in September 2023
• Urban Heat Island Effect and Lack of Green Spaces: Rapid urban growth and reduced green areas have created the urban heat island effect, raising temperatures and energy needs.
• For instance, in May 2024, extreme heat in Delhi pushed power demand to over 8,000 megawatts.
• Water Scarcity and Inadequate Water Management: Many cities are struggling with water shortages due to fast urban growth, increasing populations, and falling groundwater levels.
• Chennai's water crisis in 2019 forced residents to rely on water tankers and desalination plants. Bengaluru's recent water issues further highlight this problem.
• Inadequate Housing and Slum Proliferation: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs reports a shortage of around 18.78 million urban housing units from 2012 to 2027, with over 65 million people living in slums or informal areas.
• This situation puts pressure on infrastructure, worsens poverty, complicates planned development, and lowers overall livability and community cohesion in cities.
• Traffic Congestion and Mobility Challenges: The rapid increase in urbanisation and private vehicles has led to severe traffic jams, longer commute times, and decreased productivity.
• For example, in Bengaluru, average traffic speeds during peak hours are about 18 km/h, resulting in major economic losses from wasted time and fuel.
• Inadequate Solid Waste Management: Indian cities face challenges in managing solid waste, which leads to garbage buildup and health risks.
• According to the Central Pollution Control Board, cities generate around 62 million tons of municipal solid waste each year, with only about 20% properly processed or treated.
• Issue of Cybersecurity and Resilient Digital Infrastructure: With increasing digitalisation in urban areas, digital threats are growing, making it essential to create strong digital infrastructure.
• The ransomware attack on AIIMS Delhi in 2022 shows the vulnerability of urban digital systems.

Steps Needed to Address Urban Challenges:

Environment Related Initiatives:

• Sponge City Concept and Permeable Urban Landscapes:This concept involves using permeable pavements, green roofs, rain gardens, and other features that allow water absorption in city designs.
• Distributed Waste-to-Energy and Decentralised Waste Management Systems:Encouraging community-based waste management and public-private partnerships for waste collection and processing.
• Smart Water Management and Recycling Infrastructure:Installing smart water meters and monitoring systems to find leaks, improve water distribution, and encourage efficient water use.
• Urban Digital Twins and Predictive Modeling:Creating digital twins—virtual models of cities—to simulate different scenarios, infrastructure projects, and environmental impacts.
• These digital twins can be integrated with governance platforms to support data-driven decisions and public participation in urban planning.
• Smart City Infrastructure:Making smart city technologies like intelligent traffic management systems and smart grids more accessible to improve efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and enhance citizens' quality of life.
• Cybersecurity and Digital Infrastructure Resilience:Investing in strong cybersecurity measures like advanced encryption and real-time threat monitoring to protect important urban digital systems from attacks.
• Accessibility and Awareness: Government efforts to tackle urban issues often struggle with accessibility, so better information sharing and inclusive governance can help engage more citizens.