UP Planning & Investment Conclave aims for Affordable Housing Solutions Ensuring affordable housing in small towns to stop urban migration: Nitin Gokarn
Inspiration for urban development comes from PM Modi’s mantra of ‘To Get More From the Less: Chief Secretary
TIL Desk Lucknow/ The Uttar Pradesh Planning and Investment Conclave served as a platform for engaging with influential stakeholders and experts to delve into the strategies focused on the transformation of the state into a technologically advanced and livable entity. These strategies encompassed expediting the construction of affordable housing, refining urban planning, bolstering fundamental infrastructure development, and cultivating an environment conducive to future investments.
The event, that was convened at Taj Mahal Hotel, Lucknow, on Thursday, aimed to provide sustainable affordable housing solutions to economically weaker sections of the state, create a comprehensive roadmap for sustained development, address urban challenges through innovation and modern technology, encourage greater investments in foundational infrastructure, and facilitate a conducive environment for investors while ensuring convenience for consumers.
Addressing the event, Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, Durga Shanker Mishra, emphasized that the inspiration for urban development comes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of ‘To Get More From The Less’. “Uttar Pradesh has limited resources, and the challenge is to use these resources to improve people’s quality of life. The focus is on providing citizens with essential amenities such as water, roads, electricity, healthcare, education, entertainment, and transportation within these constraints,” he stated.
Ranvir Prasad, Commissioner of Housing and Urban Planning, UP and the Chairperson of the programme, highlighted the challenges faced in the past and present. He said, “Compared to eastern Uttar Pradesh, western Uttar Pradesh has witnessed more urbanization. There was a lack of a comprehensive master plan in municipal areas. Efforts are now underway to prepare a master plan for the entire state.” Prasad also stressed the importance of streamlining the approval process, making it simpler and more efficient.
“Our entire effort is to encourage investment with robust planning. This is the primary objective of this conclave. Today, among all of you, we will learn from your experiences and incorporate the valuable suggestions you provide into our working methodology,” said the Housing Commissioner. Nitin Ramesh Gokarn, Additional Chief Secretary, Housing and Urban Planning Department, and Chairman of the UP Housing Development Board, emphasized the need to focus on environmental conservation during urban planning.
Nitin Gokarn stated, “There have been significant changes in urban climate patterns, with increased energy consumption in cities leading to rising temperatures,” stressing the importance of addressing encroachments on water bodies, unauthorized construction along riverbanks, and their adverse impact on water drainage. Gokarn also mentioned new policies to promote environmental conservation and the introduction of a new township policy. Speaking about new townships, he revealed plans for the launch of the Ayodhya Greenfield Township Scheme, which will allocate land even before the completion of the Shri Ram Mandir construction.
He further added, “The goal is to provide affordable and fully equipped housing even in smaller towns, preventing the migration of residents to larger cities and improving their quality of life.” The UP Planning and Investment Conclave thus provided a platform for experts and stakeholders to discuss and deliberate on various aspects of urban development, investment, and environmental conservation, with the aim of making Uttar Pradesh a smart, sustainable, and prosperous state. Taking forward the event, the Additional Housing Commissioner, Ishan Pratap Singh, shed light on the UP Housing Development Board’s role as an intermediary working with banks, investors, and buyers.
Their objective is to facilitate the availability of land and housing to consumers without any impediments. “Managing cash flow and safeguarding stakeholders’ interests are also paramount. Creating an investment-friendly environment for investors involves providing them with the necessary facilities at the right time, whether it’s obtaining land without disputes, finalising DPRs, or connecting with banks. We need to work across all sectors,” said Singh.
The conclave encompassed enduring urban infrastructure, smart cities, digital transformation, and affordable housing, with a focus on public-private partnerships. These sessions were presented by experts from various government departments and organisations. During this event, several other industry experts shared their invaluable insights.
It is noteworthy that the Uttar Pradesh Planning & Investment Conclave was attended by Durgashankar Mishra, Chief Secretary of UP; Ranvir Prasad, Secretary of Housing and Urban Planning Department; Nitin Ramesh Gokarn, Additional Chief Secretary of Housing and Urban Planning Department; Neeraj Shukla, Additional Housing Commissioner; Sharad Satyanarayan Chandak, Chief General Manager, State Bank of India; and Pallavi Mishra, Deputy Housing Commissioner, among other senior officials and staff.
