Integrated approach needed for urban devt: Jaipal Reddy

Bangalore, May 25 (UNI) Integrated approach, futuristic planning and holistic preparation were essential to achieve planned and effective urban development, Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy stressed today.

Speaking at a national conference on 'Urban Development and Municipal Global Information System (GIS) here, he said GIS was the most important tool to achieve this goal. Even the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM), launched by the UPA Government at the Centre earmarking Rs 50,000 crore to be spent in six years to give a fillip to urban development, came with a condition that the States implement reforms like transparent administration and introduction of GIS in local bodies, he noted.

''Though urban development and transport are State subjects, the UPA Government had launched the mega project to keep the country apace with the fast growth of cities. This was done to motivate the States, which have been asked to raise an equal sum for the mission,'' Mr Reddy said.

''The amount of Rs one lakh crore may appear huge, but in view of the problems people faced in cities and the spread of the country's urban growth, it may not be adequate,'' he added.

Stressing the importance of urban reforms, the minister said efficiency and transparency in administation were the two important elements in urban development and ''unless we used technology like IT and space technology, it will be difficult to manage the big cities.'' He said nobody had anticipated the spiralling growth of urban areas in the country. However, it was inevitable and nobody could stop urbanisation, a product of industrialisation. The United Nations had tagged the 21st century as 'Urban Century' and the situation was no different in India.

Expressing concern over the traffic chaos in big cities, Mr Reddy said the problem had assumed alarming proportions indicating that the land use and transport policy must be integrated in a scientific manner to contain the problem.

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