‘Access To Drinking Water A Key Urban Challenge’: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

New Delhi: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari reflected on various critical issues faced by Urban India saying that the primary issue is access to drinking water and asked the civic bodies of the Urban cities to ensure that there should be no scarcity of drinking water in their respective zones. Addressing an event through video conference, Nitin Gadkari widely talked about various issues urban India is facing in the current times, while pressing for the need to ensure proper drinking water, “The primary challenge is ensuring access to drinking water. Municipalities and municipal corporations must account for water distribution across all their zones.”

Union Minister of State Tokhan Sahu also expressed his views on urban India, saying that in the last ten years, the country has seen remarkable progress. In a video message, Sahu said, “The last ten years have seen remarkable progress in the field of urban development and infrastructure in our country and across the globe. In India, we have taken giant strides to make our cities more technologically enabled and modern through the Smart City Mission initiative. All these together are making our urban life better.”

Urban Development And Governance Were Key Topics Of Discussion

The event was organised at the India Habitat Centre to mark the 10 years of Urban Update, the flagship monthly magazine of the All India Institute of Local Self-Government (AIILSG), which was launched in 2014 by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari himself. The event witnessed thought-provoking discussions on urban development and governance, graced by eminent personalities from various fields.

The celebrations began with a welcome address by Director General AIILSG Dr Jairaj Phatak, who highlighted the growth and impact of the magazine. Key figures from the AIILSG like Ravi Ranjan Guru, Ashok Wankhade, and Abhishek Pandeya also shared their journeys and associations with the organisation. Mohammed Waseem Saleem, Mayor of Anantapur, was also present during the inaugural session.

The first session, titled "Modern Indian Cities," explored the evolving dynamics of urban areas and what defines their modernity. Dr Amitabh Kundu, former Dean of the School of Social Sciences, JNU, emphasized the importance of creating a platform for dialogue between urban planners and elected representatives.

The second session, "Climate Change: Impact on Cities," moderated by Dr Rumi Aijaz, Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, focused on the environmental challenges facing urban areas. Notable speakers included Chetan Vaidya, Senior Urban Advisor, and Pier Remitti, Co-Managing Director of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.

The third session, "Town Hall," moderated by Tikender Panwar, Former Deputy Mayor of Shimla, addressed local urban governance issues. Panelists included Dr M Ramachandran, IAS (Retd.), Former Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development; Prof. Sebastian Morris, Chair of the Centre for Public Policy and Governance, Goa Institute of Management; and Mr Mohammed Waseem Saleem, Mayor of Anantapur.

The concluding session featured a discussion on the media’s role in representing urban and climate issues. The evening concluded with a captivating ‘Dastangoi’ performance by Dr Himanshu Bajpai and Dr Pragya Sharma, narrating the unique stories that make Lucknow special.