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GS Paper: GS1-08.Urbanisation:problems and remedies

  • Urbanization, no liberating force for Dalits

    Why in the News?

    The Indian cities have failed with the aspirations and expectations of the Dalit liberation movement in urbanization.

    View of Ambedkar and  Jyotirao Phule on Urbanisation:

    • Urbanization as an Opportunity for Dalit Liberation: Both Ambedkar and Jyotirao Phule saw urbanization as an opportunity for Dalit liberation. They believed that the systems of caste oppression that were prevalent in Indian villages would weaken in cities.
    • City Life as Liberating and Liberal: Phule admired city life for its liberal atmosphere and the opportunity it provided him to earn a living. Similarly, Ambedkar saw cities as places where one could become anonymous, breaking free from the constraints of caste-based identities.
    • Transition from Caste to Class: Cities offered the potential for individuals to transition from a caste-based order to a class-based order. In cities, one’s status would be determined more by their accumulation of resources or capital rather than their caste background.

    Why Urbanisation is not a liberating force for Dalits?

    • Extension of Caste in City: The logic of purity-pollution extends to the broader urban environment, where Dalits carry the stigma of their ghettoized identity into public spaces. This perpetuates the association of Dalit identity with impurity and reinforces caste-based discrimination.
    • Meat as impure by the State: Governments impose Brahminical regulations on public spaces, reinforcing the perception of meat as impure. For example, it includes Regulations on meat shops and bans on meat-based street food in certain areas, often justified by citing religious sentiments.
    • Secular and Religious Spaces: The state’s regulations to maintain purity in both secular and religious public spaces, even extending to what pedestrians can visually encounter.
    • Poor Sanitation: A large-scale study also found that public services and access to Municipal Infrastructure such as clean drinking water are the worst in Dalit and Muslim ghettos
    • Issue of Sacrifice Zone: Research in sacrifice zones regions marked for severe environmental pollution such as landfills shows that such areas are overwhelmingly inhabited by Dalits and Muslims.
    • Statistics: A recent report by the ‘Housing and Land Rights Network’ on forced evictions in India also shows that Dalits and Muslims are the most impacted by slum demolition drives.

    Suggestive Measures:

    • Community Empowerment: Empower Dalit and Muslim communities through grassroots initiatives, community organizations, and advocacy groups.
    • Awareness and Sensitization: Conduct awareness campaigns and sensitization programs aimed at challenging caste-based stereotypes and prejudices in urban society.
    • Infrastructure Development: Prioritize investment in infrastructure development in Dalit and Muslim ghettos to improve access to basic amenities such as clean water, sanitation, healthcare, and education.

    Conclusion: Urbanization hasn’t fulfilled Dalit liberation hopes. Ambedkar and Phule envisioned cities as liberating, but caste persists. Measures include community empowerment, awareness campaigns, and infrastructure development to combat discrimination and improve living conditions.

  • On Unemployment in Indian States

    Why in the news? 

    A recent report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Institute for Human Development (IHD) revealed that two out of every three unemployed individuals were young graduates.

    Unemployment across Indian States: 

    • Highest Unemployment Rate: At almost 10%, Goa’s unemployment rate is more than three times the national average of 3.17%.
      • Four of the top five states with high unemployment rates (Goa, Kerala, Haryana, and Punjab) are comparatively richer states.
    • Lower Unemployment Rates: Maharashtra and Gujarat, which are rich states in western India, experience unemployment rates far less than the national average.
    • Unemployment in Northern and Southern states: All northern states (Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh) and most southern states have unemployment rates higher than the national average, except Karnataka.
    • Unemployment below the National Average: Out of the 27 states considered, 12 states have unemployment rates less than the national average.
    • Lower unemployment rates in poorer states: Except for Maharashtra and Gujarat, most states with unemployment rates lower than the national average also have per capita incomes lesser than the national average.

    What is the Relationship between Urbanisation and Unemployment? (ILO observations)

    • Relationship between Self-employment and Unemployment: The trend line shows a downward slope, indicating a negative relationship between self-employment and unemployment.
    • Informal self-employment mainly in Agriculture and Rural Economy: A significant portion of informal self-employment is in agriculture and the rural sector.

    • Relationship between Labor Force and Unemployment: Figure 3 illustrates a positive relationship between the urban share of the labor force and the unemployment rate. Highly urbanized states tend to have higher unemployment rates (Positive relationship).
    • High Unemployment and Urbanized states: States like Goa and Kerala, which are highly urbanized, experience high unemployment rates. This is attributed to the limited scope for informal jobs in urban settings compared to rural agriculture, which acts as a reserve for absorbing surplus labor.
    • Limited Informal Sectors: Although informal sectors exist and thrive in urban settings, they have limited capacity to absorb job-seekers compared to rural agriculture.
    • Exceptions states: Gujarat and Maharashtra, despite being highly urbanized, have lower unemployment rates compared to states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

    Nexus between Education and Employment:

    • Highly educated labor force and unemployment: Kerala, with a highly educated labor force (30% of graduates), faces high unemployment.
      • In contrast, Gujarat and Maharashtra have lower proportions of graduates in their labor force (14% and 20% respectively) and experience lower unemployment rates despite being richer and urbanized.
    • High unemployment among graduates: Graduates may lack the skills required for the growing modern sector, highlighting the need for improved teaching infrastructure and standards.
      • Graduates aspire to high-wage jobs that match their skills, leading to unemployment if the modern sector doesn’t expand enough to absorb them.

    Conclusion: Addressing youth unemployment necessitates improving education quality to match job market demands, fostering skill development for the modern sector, promoting entrepreneurship, and enhancing rural employment opportunities. Policy interventions should target these areas for inclusive growth and employment generation.

  • Atal Setu is bad for Mumbai — its people and ecology

    Atal Setu news: You will not be allowed on Mumbai Trans Harbour Link if you are on… | Mint

    Central Idea:

    The article discusses the recent inauguration of Mumbai’s Atal Setu, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link bridge, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, it critically analyzes this development within the context of outdated urban planning principles from the 1960s. The slow implementation of city plans is viewed positively, as it has preserved essential open spaces and ecological features crucial for climate mitigation and adaptation.

    Key Highlights:

    • Inauguration of Mumbai Trans Harbour Link bridge, Atal Setu, symbolizing development.
    • Critique of urban development rooted in 1960s planning ideologies.
    • Slow plan implementation seen as advantageous, preserving open spaces and ecological features.
    • Rapid infrastructure construction causing environmental problems and neglect of urban ecology.
    • Failure to account for the city’s dependence on ecology leading to air quality and water runoff issues.

    Key Challenges:

    • Adherence to outdated planning ideologies despite advancements in urban ecology.
    • Rapid concretization and infrastructure projects causing environmental problems.
    • Lack of consideration for the city’s dependence on ecology in current infrastructure development.
    • Slow and contentious realization of development plans in Mumbai.
    • Air quality crisis and increased rainwater runoff due to insufficient planning for urban ecology.

    Key Terms:

    • Urban ecology
    • Concretization
    • Infrastructure construction
    • Climate crisis
    • Development plans
    • Slow plan implementation
    • Open spaces
    • Wetlands
    • Rapid urbanization
    • Ecological context

    Key Phrases:

    • “Dated and problematic mode of city-making.”
    • “Failures to account for the city and its citizens’ dependence on ecology.”
    • “Preservation of open spaces, wetlands, and gardens for climate mitigation.”
    • “Toxic air quality levels and increasing rainwater runoff as evidence of planning failures.”
    • “Reimagine infrastructure planning for the climate-changed city of the present and future.”

    Key Quotes:

    • “Planners and engineers alike have simply not accounted for the fact that the city and all its citizens depend on an ecology to live.”
    • “Rather than rush to complete these outdated intentions of the past… this is a good time to reimagine infrastructure planning for the climate-changed city of the present and future.”

    Key Statements:

    • The bridge and coastal road represent a dated mode of city-making from the 1960s.
    • Slow plan implementation has preserved open spaces and ecological features vital for climate mitigation.
    • Rapid concretization and infrastructure construction have led to environmental problems in the city.

    Key Examples and References:

    • Inauguration of Mumbai Trans Harbour Link bridge, Atal Setu.
    • Mumbai CityLabs event on January 13 highlighting slow and contentious realization of development plans.

    Key Facts and Data:

    • Completed 60 years after initial design, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link bridge is portrayed as a symbol of development.
    • Preservation of open spaces, wetlands, and gardens due to slow plan implementation.

    Critical Analysis:

    The article criticizes the persistence of outdated planning ideologies, emphasizing the need for a shift towards contemporary urban ecology principles. It highlights the negative environmental impacts of rapid infrastructure construction and calls for a reimagining of infrastructure planning to address current and future climate challenges.

    Way Forward:

    • Reimagine infrastructure planning in line with contemporary urban ecology principles.
    • Prioritize the preservation of open spaces, wetlands, and green areas for climate mitigation and adaptation.
    • Consider the urban social and ecological context of the 21st century in planning.
    • Learn from past failures and avoid rushing into completing outdated infrastructure projects.
    • Encourage sustainable and ecologically sensitive development in Mumbai.

  • Breaking new ground the Kerala way

    Kerala Cabinet decides to constitute Kerala Urban Policy Commission - The Hindu

    Central Idea:

    • The article discusses the formation of the Kerala Urban Commission in the context of global urbanization trends and the need for a comprehensive approach to urban development.
    • It highlights the challenges faced by urban areas in India and emphasizes the significance of revisiting and re-evaluating urban policies.

    Key Highlights:

    • The article reflects on the historical development phases of urbanization in post-independent India, noting the failures of both Nehruvian centralized planning and the subsequent privatization trends in the 1990s.
    • It underscores the necessity of understanding objective patterns of urbanization, focusing on migration, settlement patterns, and the role of information technology.
    • Governance issues in cities, such as delayed transfer of subjects to municipalities and the debate on having managers instead of elected officials, are highlighted.
    • The article suggests that existing urban missions, like Swachh Bharat and Smart Cities, have failed to produce desired results and may continue to do so.

    Key Challenges:

    • Piecemeal approaches to urban development are criticized for their failure to address the complex realities of urbanization.
    • Governance issues, including the delay in transferring subjects to municipalities and the debate on city affairs management, pose challenges to effective urban governance.
    • The article suggests that existing urban missions, like Swachh Bharat and Smart Cities, have failed to produce desired results and may continue to do so.

    Key Terms:

    • Urban Commission: Refers to the proposed or existing bodies tasked with addressing the challenges and complexities of urban development.
    • Urbanization: The process of population migration from rural to urban areas, leading to the growth and development of cities.
    • Nehruvian Period: Refers to the development era influenced by Jawaharlal Nehru’s centralized planning approach.
    • Privatization: The transfer of control or ownership of public services or assets to private entities.
    • Fifteenth Finance Commission: A reference to the commission responsible for recommending the distribution of financial resources between the central and state governments.

    Key Phrases:

    • “Holistic city approach”: Refers to a comprehensive and integrated strategy for urban development.
    • “Engines of growth”: Describes the shift in cities’ perception from spaces of enlightenment to centers focused on economic development.
    • “Mission mode of development”: Refers to project-oriented approaches like the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and Smart Cities Mission.
    • “Complex processes unfolding”: Highlights the intricate nature of governance and financial structures in urban areas.

    Key Quotes:

    • “Cities were made competitive and termed as ‘engines of growth’ — not spaces of enlightenment, future of dreams, and habitat.”
    • “The urbanisation process cannot be reduced to some mission approaches…”
    • “Kerala Urban Commission can be the lighthouse for other States…”

    Key Statements:

    • “An urban commission is required at the national and State levels to understand some of the interesting objective patterns of urbanisation.”
    • “The period of the 1990s is the one where the abject privatization of cities began…”

    Cabinet clears formation of urban commission- The New Indian Express

    Key Examples and References:

    • Mention of the National Commission on Urbanisation formed by Rajiv Gandhi and its recommendations.
    • Reference to global urbanization trends, including the impact on climate change and unequal city spaces.
    • Examples of failed urban missions like Swachh Bharat and Smart Cities.

    Key Facts:

    • More than half of the world’s population (56%) currently lives in cities.
    • Kerala’s urbanized population is estimated to be around 90%.
    • The Nehruvian period witnessed the construction of around 150 new towns with a centralized planning approach.

    Key Data:

    • The 74th Constitutional Amendment marked a shift towards more private initiative and investment in urban development.
    • The Kerala Urban Commission has a 12-month mandate to address urbanization challenges and lay a roadmap for 25 years of urban development.

    Critical Analysis:

    • The article critically examines the historical phases of urban development in India and highlights the shortcomings of past approaches.
    • It questions the effectiveness of existing urban missions and emphasizes the need for a holistic understanding of urbanization processes.
    • Governance issues and financial centralization are critically discussed as impediments to successful urban development.

    Way Forward:

    • The article suggests that the formation of the Kerala Urban Commission could serve as a model for other highly urbanized states.
    • It advocates for a comprehensive and objective approach to urban development, emphasizing the importance of addressing challenges such as migration, settlement patterns, and information technology.
    • The need for revisiting and relooking at urban policies is underscored for a more successful and sustainable urban future.

  • Cancer, heart disease, diabetes – odd-even scheme is not the answer to pollution woes

    One Health approach

    Central idea

    The article delves into the alarming air pollution crisis in Delhi and the National Capital Region, highlighting global and local concerns. It emphasizes the health impact of air pollution, particularly on vulnerable groups like children, and evaluates India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and potential strategies for effective air quality management.

    Key Highlights:

    • Air Quality Crisis: Delhi and the National Capital Region face a severe air pollution crisis, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) touching 500, prompting various restrictions and interventions.
    • Global Air Pollution Concerns: Air pollution is a global issue, affecting low- and middle-income countries the most. The World Health Assembly Resolution 68.8 emphasizes addressing the health impact of air pollution, highlighting its role in millions of global deaths.
    • India’s Efforts: The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) launched in 2019 aims to reduce PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations by 20-30% by 2024 through diverse interventions targeting vehicular pollution, industrial emissions, waste management, and more.
    Let’s revise for prelims

     

    India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)

     

    Ministry Under Which NCAP Operates: Operated under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

     

    Establishment and Jurisdiction: Launched in 2019 to address air pollution and improve air quality. Encompasses various interventions to reduce pollution levels.

     

    Objective: Aims to achieve a 20-30% reduction in concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 by 2024 (base year, 2017).

     

    Key Components: Focuses on reducing vehicular pollution through regulatory norms. Promotes public transport and enhances infrastructure. Addresses industrial emissions, waste management, and stubble burning.

     

    Legal Framework: Aligned with existing environmental laws and regulations. Operates within the framework of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

    Challenges:

    • Health Impact: Air pollution, laden with pollutants like PM2.5, leads to severe health consequences, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory issues, and neurological disorders.
    • Vulnerability of Children: Children are particularly vulnerable due to developing lungs, higher exposure, and increased susceptibility to neurotoxic compounds, leading to various health issues.
    • Social Gradient in Exposure: Studies indicate that air pollution often exhibits a social gradient, impacting marginalized communities more, challenging the notion that it affects everyone equally.

    Key Phrases:

    • Air Quality Index (AQI): Measures air pollution levels, categorized into ranges with associated health advisories. Delhi’s AQI touching 500 signifies hazardous air quality.
    • NCAP: India’s National Clean Air Programme, launched to combat air pollution, emphasizing reductions in PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations through diverse strategies.
    • One Health Approach: Recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, urging comprehensive actions to address the impact of land, air, and water use on well-being.

    Analysis:

    • Global Concerns: Nearly 90% of the global population breathes air exceeding prescribed pollution limits, with low- and middle-income countries facing the most significant impact.
    • NCAP Effectiveness: The NCAP outlines specific interventions to combat air pollution, but the effectiveness of measures like the odd-even scheme in Delhi is debated, with studies showing mixed results.

    Key Data:

    • Health Impact: Air pollution contributes to chronic diseases and cancer, with a third of deaths from major diseases linked to air pollution, rivaling the impact of smoking.
    • Global Scenario: Delhi ranked as the most polluted city globally in terms of fine particulate matter, emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive air quality management.

    Way Forward:

    • Stringent Standards: Evolve more stringent air quality standards, considering the absence of safe thresholds, especially for particulates and ozone.
    • Airshed-Centric Approach: Transition from city-centric to airshed-centric air quality management, recognizing the local factors affecting pollutant dispersion.
    • Global Cooperation: Leverage international platforms like the G20 to address pollution in the context of climate action and promote a One Health approach globally.

    In essence, the article underscores the critical need for immediate and comprehensive measures to combat the escalating air pollution crisis, emphasizing the global and local impact on health and the environment.

  • Climate events and an umbrella for urban health

    What’s the news?

    • The vulnerability of urban households to climate change-led events needs attention in India.

    Central idea

    • The current monsoon season in India has garnered significant media attention due to the widespread devastation witnessed in various regions. From the cyclonic storm Biparjoy’s landfall in western India to floods in Assam and heavy rainfall causing havoc in the north, these events have raised concerns, especially among policymakers.

    Extreme climate events and its impacts on urban cities

    • Increased Vulnerability: Urban areas, particularly those with inadequate infrastructure and informal settlements, face heightened vulnerability to extreme climate events. Lack of proper resources and planning exacerbates the impact.
    • Disease Outbreaks: Post-monsoon, urban areas are prone to waterborne and vector-borne diseases due to stagnant water and conducive conditions. Diseases like malaria, dengue, cholera, and typhoid can spread rapidly in these environments.
    • Higher Urban Household Susceptibility: Urban households are more susceptible to climate-induced diseases compared to rural households, with increased odds of contracting diseases like malaria and dengue.
    • Challenges in Disease Management: Coordinating Disease Management in Urban Areas Post-extreme climate events become challenging due to the movement of people across regions and the complex network of agencies involved in healthcare.
    • Strain on Health Systems: Urban health systems come under strain as they try to manage the increased demand for healthcare services during and after extreme climate events.
    • Disproportionate Impact on Vulnerable Populations: Vulnerable groups, such as those living in slums or informal settlements, are disproportionately affected by the impacts of extreme climate events due to their marginalized living conditions.

    A study on disease vulnerability

    • Urban vs. Rural Vulnerability: The study reveals that urban households are more vulnerable to climate-induced diseases compared to rural households. This vulnerability is particularly evident in the heightened odds of urban households contracting diseases like malaria and dengue.
    • Geographic Implications: The study highlights the geographic variation in disease vulnerability. Households in states with higher climate vulnerability are at a greater risk of suffering from diseases, accentuating the importance of considering regional climate contexts.
    • Malaria and Dengue: Urban households face significantly higher odds of suffering from diseases like malaria and dengue. This emphasizes the urban-specific risk factors contributing to the prevalence of these diseases, including factors related to urbanization, living conditions, and healthcare access.
    • Climate Vulnerability: The study’s insights point to the connection between climatic conditions and disease vulnerability. Households in states with higher vulnerability to climate change experience elevated risks of disease, signaling the need for targeted interventions in these regions.
    • Policy Implications: The findings of the study carry substantial policy implications. Policymakers need to recognize the unique vulnerabilities of urban areas and design tailored strategies to mitigate disease outbreaks in these settings.

    Steps to mitigate the challenges posed by extreme climatic events

    • Rebuilding the Urban Health Care System:
      • Focus on enhancing the urban primary health-care system’s resilience.
      • Prioritize serving the vulnerable urban population, particularly those residing in urban slums and peri-urban areas.
      • Develop a health system capable of promptly responding to emergencies, proactively preparing for impending crises, and flexibly adapting to changing public health needs.
    • Increase Public Investment:
      • Allocate more substantial public investment, with immediate attention directed towards urban areas most susceptible to climatic shocks.
      • Address the inadequacy of current funding for primary health care.
      • Recognize the pressing need to channel funds toward bolstering health care infrastructure and resources.
    • Empower the National Urban Health Mission:
      • Support and strengthen the efforts of the National Urban Health Mission.
      • Address the limitations in revenue generation capacities among urban local bodies.
      • Ensure sufficient financial resources are available to bolster urban health care systems.
    • Local Bodies’ Role in Public Health:
      • Acknowledge that a significant portion of preventive and public health functions fall under the jurisdiction of local bodies.
      • Recognize the importance of supporting local bodies in carrying out their public health responsibilities.
    • Establish a Special Fund for Resilience:
      • Create a dedicated fund sourced from statutory institutions, such as the Finance Commission.
      • Direct this fund towards building a robust and resilient health system in vulnerable urban areas.
      • Ensure that the fund is allocated based on identified priorities and needs.
    • Extend Attention Beyond Cities:
      • Recognize the need to extend targeted efforts beyond major cities to include towns.
      • Understand that vulnerability to extreme climatic events is not exclusive to urban centers.
      • Allocate resources and support to build resilience in towns as well.

    Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic on urban health governance

    • Complex Urban Health Governance:
      • Recognize the intricacies of urban health governance, marked by the involvement of numerous agencies and fragmented care provision.
      • Acknowledge the expanding influence and dominance of the private sector in the healthcare landscape.
    • Coordination and Cooperation:
      • Learn from the pandemic’s experience that effective public health responses require enhanced coordination and cooperation among diverse actors.
      • Emphasize knowledge and data sharing, along with coordination in preventive, curative, and treatment aspects.
    • Regulation and Standardization:
      • Understand the necessity to regulate rates and enforce quality standards, especially in the private sector.
      • Recognize the importance of standardized treatment practices to ensure consistent and effective care provision.
    • Strengthened Surveillance and Information Systems:
      • Acknowledge the critical role of surveillance and information systems, such as the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program.
      • Plan to universalize and comprehensively strengthen these systems to effectively respond to public health emergencies.
    • Comprehensive Health System Approach:
      • Grasp the need to transition from vertical disease control programs to a comprehensive health system approach.
      • Consider integrating front-line workers across various disease management programs to create a versatile cadre of public health professionals.
    • Address Workforce Shortage:
      • Understand the challenge of an inadequately trained health workforce in public health and related areas.
      • Address this shortage by creating multipurpose front-line public health cadres accountable to both communities and the health system.
    • Climate Change Preparedness:
      • Recognize the increasing frequency and intensity of climate change-led events.
      • Incorporate climate change awareness into planning and management to build resilience and preparedness.

    Conclusion

    • As India faces heightened climate-induced health risks, it’s imperative to prioritize the strengthening of urban health systems. The convergence of vulnerability insights, disease management challenges, and the COVID-19 experience highlights the need for integrated, resilient health systems. By adapting to changing public health needs, India can better prepare for the growing threats posed by climate-induced events.

  • Urban space for women: India can show the path

    Urban

    Context

    • More than half of the population worldwide lives in cities, making urban centres critical to socioeconomic growth and development. However, rampant urbanisation has led to unequal distribution of resources and a lopsided development approach that ignores the specific needs of women. Despite projections of two-thirds of the population living in cities by 2050, urban development remains exclusive of women’s perspectives and needs.

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    Gender inequality in cities

    • Primary reason: One of the primary reasons behind gender inequality in cities is that modern cities are planned mainly by men and for men, thus sidelining the needs of women.
    • Designed assuming that the role of women is confined to household: The cities have been traditionally designed on the premise that a woman’s role is primarily confined to the household, barring their need to access the immediate neighbourhood.
    • Patriarchal approach has taken away the Fundamental rights: This patriarchal approach, while shaping the power dynamics between men and women, has also taken away the fundamental right of women to live and thrive in a safe and inclusive outdoor environment.

    Urban

    Role of women and the challenges they face in urban spaces

    • Women one of the most vulnerable groups in society: Women, one of the most vulnerable groups in society, face violence in physical and cyber mode, making it difficult for them to access opportunities that come with urbanisation.
    • For instance: Due to poorly lit streets and a lack of women-friendly mobility systems, women cannot actively participate in the workforce. Only 27 percent of women participate in the workforce in India as compared to 79 percent of men.
    • Male dominated nature of job opportunities available in the cities: Most of them are male-dominated, such as the platform economy jobs of delivery agents and those at vast construction sites, leaving less space for women to intervene.
    • Women professionals are burdened with dual work responsibilities: Moreover, with an increase in the number of households in cities, women are devoting most of their time to home and caring work, thus, leaving less time for them to do a job. In this scenario, women professionals are burdened with dual work roles, impacting their physical and mental well-being.
    • Discouraged drop outs: Furthermore, the social tendency to discourage urban women from working after marriage has generated a trend of ‘discouraged drop-outs’, leaving them out of the workforce.
    • Role in urban planning and governance is abysmally low: Women’s participation in urban planning and governance has been abysmally low. Women hold only 10 percent of the highest ranks globally in architecture and urban planning offices. With women left out of city planning institutions, city planners ignore the needs of women and the challenges they face.

    Urban

    Do you know: The concept of a 15-minute city?

    • The concept of a 15-minute city, i.e., where everything needed will be available within a walkable distance of 15 minutes, is attracting the interest of planners even in India.
    • However, for stray examples such as Magarpatta, a city in Pune, the concept has failed to move beyond rhetoric.

    Focus areas of development

    • City society intervention is a prerequisite: The intervention of civil society and policymakers on specific parameters can help build gender-responsive cities that accommodate the concerns of all citizens.
    • Building safer cities: Better street lighting, women-friendly transport systems, and behavioural change programmes that help people understand that the onus of safety is not on women but on society as a whole will surely improve women’s access to safer cities.
    • For instance: Building technology systems such as the Safetipin app helps women map safe areas and take necessary actions in emergencies by collating a list of important contacts, GPS tracking and so on, thus, trying to make streets safer.
    • Changing the attitude and mindset of society at large: Counselling sessions for men, sensitising them about how women feel if a certain social behaviour is practised, can trigger an eventual change in their mindset towards women’s needs.
    • Building gender-inclusive jobs: Data suggests that 10 percent increase in women’s workforce participation rate can add US$ 770 million, approximately 18 percent, to India’s GDP. Teaching men to shoulder family responsibilities, making workspaces women-friendly, promoting women to leadership positions, and diversifying the availability of jobs can go a long way in improving the situation.
    • Role of women in urban governance: Having women at the top can have a domino effect in society, making other women aspirational of the positions they can reach and the impact they can create.
    • For example: Cities like Athena, Bogota, Nairobi, Dakar, and San Francisco that have had female leadership have witnessed greater socio-economic and sustainable development.
    • Developing gender-sensitive infrastructure: Globally, one in three women do not have access to safe toilets. Building toilets for women and places to breastfeed and baby changing stations improves the turnout of women on the streets. Improving access to clean water will also improve overall health for women as globally.

    Urban

    Way ahead

    • Need a paradigm shift in approaches to policymaking: Including more women in decision-making roles to identify shared concerns and build integrated solutions will need a paradigm shift in approaches to policymaking. This calls for a policy focus on optimum resource allocation and equitable distribution, ensuring easy, safe, and affordable access to all.
    • Feminist approach in policymaking: Policymakers need to adopt a feminist approach to urban development.
    • Feminist urbanism: Feminist urbanism seeks to understand and integrate the concerns of women and other gender and sexual minorities across caste, class, age differences, disabilities, etc.
    • Developing cities on the lines of feminist urbanism: Creating a city on the lines of feminist urbanism refers to constructing compact and mixed-use neighbourhoods, inclusive streets focusing on pedestrian needs and building other critical urban infrastructure.

    Conclusion

    • Building global partnerships to aid gender mainstreaming in urban spaces can prove fruitful. India has a chance to further this cause as it assumes the G20 presidency. The Urban 20 grouping can bring urban policymakers from the -20 nations to deliberate on women’s rights and evolve gender-inclusive development processes to help cities attain the 2030 agenda for sustainable development holistically.

  • Urban planning can change the future of cities to happy cities

    Urban planningContext

    • In the recent few years, the growth of the economy and urbanization have accelerated. Rapid unplanned urbanization has put extreme pressure on natural resources.
    • Unplanned urbanization, however, exerts great strain on our cities. In fact, the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the dire need for the planning and management of our cities.

    What does urban planning mean?

    • Urban planning, also known as regional planning, town planning, city planning is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water, and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban areas, such as transportation, communications, and distribution networks and their accessibility.

    What are ‘Happy Cities’?

    • A term that follows the Green City, Sustainable City, Liveable City, in the lingo of urban planning

    What is a smart city?

    • A smart city is one that uses information and communication technologies to enhance citizen engagement. It is a neo-vision which seeks to improve the delivery of services in urban areas. The following story maps out the steps being taken by India to explore this concept in practice.

    What is the Smart Cities Mission?

    • Sustainable cities: The Smart Cities Mission aims at developing 100 cities, which were shortlisted, into self-sustainable urban settlements.
    • Chronology: The mission was launched on June 25, 2015 and was projected as one aimed at transforming the process of urban development in the country.
    • Comprehensive revamp: Among its strategic components is ‘area-based development’, which includes city improvement (retrofitting), city renewal (redevelopment) and city extension (Greenfield development), plus a pan-city initiative in which ‘smart solutions’ are applied covering larger parts of the city.

    Fast Facts – Urbanization in India

    • Most Urbanized States: Tamil Nadu 43.9%; Maharashtra 4%; Gujarat  37.4%
    • 3 out of world’s 21 mega cities: Mumbai (19 mill); Delhi (15 mill); Kolkata (14 mill)

    Urban planningUrban planning challenges

    Planning

    • Many urban governments lack a modern planning framework
    • The multiplicity of local bodies obstructs efficient planning and land use
    • Rigid master plans and restrictive zoning regulations limit the land available for building, constricting cities’ abilities to grow in accordance with changing needs.

    Housing

    • Building regulations that limit urban density – such as floor space indexes – reduce the number of houses available, thereby pushing up property prices
    • Outdated rent control regulations reduce the number of houses available on rent – a critical option for the poor
    • Policy, planning, and regulation deficiencies lead to a proliferation of slums

    Service delivery

    • There is a strong bias towards adding physical infrastructure rather than providing financially and environmentally sustainable services

    Infrastructure

    • Most urban bodies do not generate the revenues needed to renew infrastructure, nor do they have the creditworthiness to access capital markets for funds
    • Urban transport planning needs to be more holistic – there is a focus on moving vehicles rather than meeting the needs of the large numbers of people who walk or ride bicycles in India’s towns and cities.

    Environment:

    • The deteriorating urban environment is taking a toll on people’s health and productivity and diminishing their quality of life.

    Urban planningSolution offered by NITI ayog committee report on urban planning

    • Demystifying Planning and Involving Citizens: While it is important to maintain the master plans’ technical rigour, it is equally important to demystify them for enabling citizens’ participation at relevant stages. Therefore, the committee strongly recommends a ‘Citizen Outreach Campaign’ for demystifying urban planning.
    • Steps for Enhancing the Role of Private Sector: The report recommends that concerted measures must be taken at multiple levels to strengthen the role of the private sector to improve the overall planning capacity in the country.
    • Revision of Town and Country Planning Acts: Most States have enacted the Town and Country Planning acts, that enable them to prepare and notify master plans for implementation. However, many need to be reviewed and upgraded.
    • Revision of Town and Country Planning Acts: Most States have enacted the Town and Country Planning Acts, that enable them to prepare and notify master plans for implementation. However, many need to be reviewed and upgraded.

    Interesting fact

    India is home to 11% of the total global urban population.

    Government initiatives

    • Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT);
    • Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) – Housing for all (Urban),
    • Smart Cities Mission (SCM),
    • Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM),
    • Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY);
    • Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM).

    Conclusion

    • What is now increasingly understood, is that urban planning and design can be a powerful contributor to the happiness of citizens. The structure and layout of our streets, the availability of green spaces, the possibility of using urban spaces freely, the inclusion of beauty in public space.
    • It is safe to assume that when there are avenues for a community to come together in a pleasant environment, which is accessible to everyone, it can only increase well-being.

    Mains question

    Q. Can urban planning and design change Indian cities to be happy cities? Express your views by addressing the roadblocks in the same.

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  • Why our urban centres need to be better planned

    urban centres Context

    • Indian urban centres need to plan for migration, climate change. Healthcare, affordable housing, sustainability and inclusion hold the key reimagining them.

    What does urban planning mean?

    • Urban planning encompasses the preparation of plans for and the regulation and management of towns, cities, and metropolitan regions. It attempts to organize socio-spatial relations across different scales of government and governance.

    What are ‘Happy Cities’?

    • A term that follows the Green City, Sustainable City, Liveable City, in the lingo of urban planning

    urban centres What is a smart city?

    • A smart city is one that uses information and communication technologies to enhance citizen engagement. It is a neo-vision which seeks to improve the delivery of services in urban areas. The following story maps out the steps being taken by India to explore this concept in practice.

    Fast Facts -Urbanization in India

    Most Urbanized States: Tamil Nadu 43.9%; Maharashtra 4%; Gujarat  37.4%.

    3 out of world’s 21 mega cities: Mumbai (19 mill); Delhi (15 mill); Kolkata (14 mill)

    Global best practices in urban planning

    • The Garden City movement: In the West, the Garden City movement (initiated by Ebenezer Howard in 1898) sought to decentralise the working environment in the city centre with a push for providing healthier living spaces for factory workers. The ideal garden city was planned on a concentric pattern with open spaces, public parks and boulevards, housing 32,000 people on 6,000 acres, linked to a central city with over 50,000 people. Once a garden city reached maximum capacity, another city would be developed nearby.
    • Neighbourhood concept: In the US, the garden city movement evolved into the neighbourhood concept, where residential houses and streets were organised around a local school or community centre, with a push for lowering traffic and providing safe roads. London has a metropolitan green belt around the city, covering 5,13,860 hectares of land, to offset pollution and congestion and maintain biodiversity. Why can’t Indian cities have something similar, instead of ring roads and urban sprawls?
    • La ville du quart d’heure: Paris has taken this forward with the “15-minute city” (‘la ville du quart d’heure’). The idea is rather simple, every Parisian should be able to do their shopping, work, and recreational activities and fulfil their cultural needs within a 15-minute walk or bike ride this means that the number of vehicular trips gets reduced significantly.
    • Investment in pedestrian infrastructure and non-motorised transport zones: A city would then be planned for pedestrians, instead of cars and motors. This requires an extensive usage of mixed-use developments, along with investment in pedestrian infrastructure and non-motorised transport zones. Instead of widening highways, this approach would push for widening pedestrian walkways.

    urban centres

    What should be adopted for India?

    • Every Indian city should ideally have a Master Plan: A strategic urban planning document which would be updated every decade or two. The document would entail how a city is supposed to grow, vertically and horizontally, across zones, while offering a high quality of life in a sustainable manner. Such plans would also consider poverty mitigation, affordable housing and liveability for urban migrants.
    • Urban land use needs to be better: One look at satellite map imagery will show that India’s urban growth is increasingly haphazard, with informal, unplanned and sprawling neighbourhoods developing in paddy fields and along linear infrastructure (arterial roads, open spaces). India’s hidden urbanisation, driven partly by our stringent definition of the word, along with weak enforcement of building codes, has meant that the local government is often playing catch-up, unable to provide urban services and infrastructure to keep up with growth.
    • Public land availability: Meanwhile, in places where there are formally recognised towns and urban neighbourhoods, outdated planning practices have meant that land utilisation is poor. Consider the case of Mumbai, where almost 1/4th of the land is open public space while over half of it is the underutilised space around buildings, which is enclosed by walls and hived off from public access. Such open spaces, if available, would help cities like Mumbai achieve similar ratios as globally benchmarked cities (Amsterdam, Barcelona) in public land availability (typically above 40 per cent).
    • India’s urban density will also need to be thought through: Dense construction on the peripheries of our major cities (for instance, dense construction in Delhi’s suburbs, like Noida and Gurugram) will inevitably mean that public services are stretched and emissions (due to transportation to the main city) remain high. Such urbanisation will unavoidably lock India into a high emissions future while making our cities prone to extreme heat and flooding.
    • Then there is climate change: According to the World Bank, climate change may reduce India’s GDP by 3 per cent, while depressing the living standards of its citizens by 2050. Many urban experts cite technological solutions that may save our cities a chain of sea walls, river embankments and reclamations, for instance from such potential calamities. However, structural engineering simply may not be an economically and environmentally feasible option everywhere instead, our focus must be on conservation.
    • Climate resilience perspective Bengaluru, with its network of interconnected lakes, could have considered Bangkok-style ferries instead of draining out its lakes. All ongoing and upcoming urban infrastructure projects must be reconsidered from a future climate resilience perspective does the ongoing sea reclamation for the upcoming coastal road in Mumbai make sense if sea levels are rising?
    • Establishing a sense of cityhood: By making a push for a city as a co-created space will also require building up institutional capacity.
    • Addressing lack of town planning education: India would ideally require 3,00,000 town and country planners by 2031 (there are just 5,000 town planners currently). Much of this problem is fundamentally due to a lack of town planning education in the country there are just 26 institutes that provide this course, producing 700 town planners each year. We already have a shortage of 1.1 million planners. More schools are needed, with a push for local IITs and NITs to have a standalone planning department. With over 8,000 towns and cities, there is a clear unmet need.

    urban centresConclusion

    • Our policymakers also need to be cognisant of the historical context of our urban development a push for glass buildings or utilising granite may not always be suitable for our cities. Why can’t our cities look distinctly Indian, inspired by our historical architecture? Renewing our cities will require us to rethink various urban topics, including urban design, urban healthcare, affordable housing, sustainability and inclusion among others. Our urban future depends on getting this right.

    Mains question 

    Q. Renewing our cities will require us to rethink various urban topics, including urban design, urban healthcare, affordable housing, sustainability and inclusion among others. Elaborate.

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  • What is the Dharavi Redevelopment Project?

    The Maharashtra government gave the go-ahead for fresh tenders in the Dharavi redevelopment project, almost two decades after it was first proposed.

    About Dharavi

    • Dharavi, infamous as one of the world’s largest slums, is located in the heart of India’s financial capital – Mumbai.
    • A city within a city, it is one unending stretch of narrow dirty lanes, open sewers and cramped huts.
    • While the land (area of 535 acres) is owned by the government, the houses are maintained by individuals.
    • The Dharavi slum came into being in 1884. It was originally inhibited by fisherfolk when the area was still creeks, swamps.
    • It became attractive to migrant workers from South Mumbai and others when the swamp began to fill in due to natural and artificial causes.
    • The area grew as poor rural Indians migrated to urban Mumbai.
    • Today, an estimated 600,000 to 1 million people live crammed in Dharavi.

    Economic significance of Dharavi

    • Dharavi stands near to India’s richest business district, the Bandra-Kurla Complex, where commercial office premiums are among the highest in the country.
    • The slum sprawl, spread over 2.8 sq.km. is home to an informal leather and pottery industry which employs over a lakh people.

    What is the Dharavi Redevelopment Project all about?

    • The state had envisaged this sprawl be transformed into a cluster of high-rises with improved urban infrastructure.
    • It entailed resettling 68,000 people, including slum dwellers and those with commercial establishments.
    • The state was to provide 300-sqft houses for free to residents with proof that their slum structure was in existence before January 1, 2000.
    • The project was initially mooted in 2004, but never got off the ground due to various reasons.

    When redevelopment was first proposed?

    • In 1999, the government first proposed to redevelop Dharavi.
    • Thereafter, the government of Maharashtra in the year 2003-04 decided to redevelop Dharavi as an integrated planned township.
    • An action plan for redevelopment was approved by issuing a government resolution.
    • It was decided to develop Dharavi by using land as a resource to cross-subsidie the cost of development through a sale component on the basis of the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme.
    • The government also decided to notify the whole of Dharavi as an undeveloped area and to appoint a Special Planning Authority for its development.
    • In 2011, the government cancelled all tenders and drew up a master plan.

     

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