India and UN-Habitat Join Forces for Sustainable Urban Growth
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in India and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote sustainable and inclusive urbanization in India. This agreement aims to support India’s goal of expanding its economy from USD 3 trillion to USD 5 trillion in the coming years.
Key Objectives
The MoU focuses on achieving shared prosperity through the integration of social, economic, and environmental aspects in cities and rural areas. It addresses the disparities in cities’ abilities to handle social, environmental, and economic challenges, emphasizing the need for smarter urban development to provide affordable housing and reduce inequalities.
Areas of Cooperation
The collaboration will cover several areas, including the circular economy of water, wastewater, and solid waste management, as well as actions to combat pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. It also aims to strengthen the capacity of local governments for better planning, management, and financing.
Urban RAASTA Framework
As part of this partnership, the Urban RAASTA (Resilient and Accelerated Advancement with Sustainable and Transformative Actions) framework was launched. This initiative is designed to guide local stakeholders in India’s intermediary cities towards sustainable development, drawing on traditional conservation methods. The framework uses a T-shaped approach for comprehensive urban planning and financing.
Conclusion
This collaboration between MoHUA and UN-Habitat marks a significant step towards creating inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable urban areas in India.
Doubts Revealed
UN-Habitat -: UN-Habitat is a part of the United Nations that works to make cities and towns better places to live. They focus on making sure everyone has a safe and affordable home and that cities grow in a way that is good for the environment.
MoU -: MoU stands for Memorandum of Understanding. It is an agreement between two or more parties, like a promise to work together on something important, but it is not as strict as a legal contract.
MoHUA -: MoHUA stands for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in India. This is a part of the Indian government that looks after housing and city development to make sure people have good places to live.
USD 3 trillion to USD 5 trillion -: This refers to the goal of increasing the size of India’s economy. USD stands for United States Dollars, a type of money used around the world. Trillion is a very big number, and this means India wants to make its economy much bigger.
Urban RAASTA framework -: Urban RAASTA is a plan or guide to help cities grow in a way that is good for people and the environment. It focuses on using traditional methods to conserve resources and make cities better places to live.
Sustainable urbanization -: Sustainable urbanization means building and growing cities in a way that is good for the environment, helps people live better lives, and makes sure resources are used wisely so future generations can also enjoy them.
