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Urbanisation is not the problem. It is actually the solution to achieving true sustainability and establishing a closed loop circular economy.

India’s urban challenges are too deep and systemic to be fixed through a few tactical stabs. A long-term strategic view of urban transformation is n

The increase in funds allocated for improving the quality of life in urban areas by 12 percent, as pledged in the Interim Budget, is positively receiv

China will need to be more specific in spelling out its climate plans.

Are smart cities the panacea for the increasing urbanisation problems in India? Question asked the Modi government is speeding up its smart city mission.

The process of urbanisation — if carried out in a planned, sustainable and inclusive manner — can potentially help India mitigate the impact of th

In China, villages have the same facilities in housing, water, drainage, medical care as in towns. If the government of India wishes to reduce the migratory flows, then each village has to be transformed to a small town ? at least in infrastructure.

How do states rank in 2021 in terms of urbanisation? What impact does reverse migration on account of COVID-19 have on demography and economy?

If Africa’s development is handled wisely, it can bring about unprecedented transformation in the continent.

The appraisal of select aspects of China’s urbanisation strategy and the progress in implementation indicate a massive urban transformation.

Gender-sensitive planning will help mitigate adverse and unequal impacts — and build resilience.

Unlike the ‘area sabha’ of the Nagar Raj Bill, the decisions of the ‘jan sabha’ were to be binding on the wards committee in regard to local w

Having an urban welfare strategy in place would have allowed the government to act immediately to support workers affected by the coronavirus shock. U

Mumbai must spearhead the positioning of India as the third economic superpower, in between the forecasted East/West civilisation confrontation.

Mumbai today has a plethora of institutions - BMC, MMRDA, MSRDC, MVRC, etc. At last count, there were 23 institutions directly or indirectly 'planning' for Mumbaikars. There is an urgent need to 'de-institutionalise' urban planning.

Rethinking the policy, design, and function of city crematoriums and cemeteries is critical to making the city liveable and die-able

Development of a proper and efficient transport network is a science in itself, but the least understood.

What is missing in most manifestos is a coherent and comprehensive vision backed by a workable strategy to address the challenges that India’s growi

Digitising built heritage can help foster greater public engagement and awareness and lead to effective preservation and restoration.

The COVID19 pandemic is a wake-up call to the world to realise that the sustainability quotient, in terms of the scale that city population densities

As part of a three-year research project undertaken by ORF and PRIO to study and analyse urban governance, urban security and environment related trends and concerns in selected regions of India, an international conference was organised on "Emerging Challenges in an Urbanising India: Governance, Security and Climate Change".

Waste-to-energy projects in India have historically been city-centric. As cities are well-served by LPG and CNG distribution systems, the Bio-CNG produced has to be used for either fuelling urban public transport, or moved to rural areas at considerable cost. Distributed production and distribution of compressed biogas (CBG) from municipal organic waste in rural and peri-urban areas could be a cheaper option for local consumers. Such prod

This brief discusses the challenges faced by urban local bodies (ULBs) in India in accessing urban climate finance (UCF), and proposes solutions based on successful strategies used by some of them. The hurdles include institutional barriers and limited capacity. The brief finds that ULBs that have met with success in accessing UCF overcame the obstacles through early sensitisation programmes and global network connections. It offers plausible sol

India must unleash its youth power to strengthen its core democratic principles by prioritising their enhanced participation in politics and democracy

The role of the State Finance Commissions between States and local bodies is supposed to mimic the role of Finance Commissions between the Centre and

Low-income groups are more susceptible to multimorbidities due to unequal access to healthcare in urban areas

This year’s theme for the Earth Day, ‘Invest in our planet’, is a pivotal point in history as the need to adapt and mitigate the triple planetar

Growing urbanisation and its resultant problems and issues have drawn the attention of international organisations, national governments and the civil society. The United Nations (2012) has reported that while "unprecedented increase in urban population will provide new opportunities to improve education and public services in Africa and Asia,...

The 2011 anti-corruption movement in India—characterised by a huge trust deficit in the political class—was the culmination of several such localised movements that marked the birth of a new civil society in contemporary urban India. This paper studies the profusion of middle-class-led associations in Mumbai fighting for good governance, and their increased political mobilisation in the city. It argues that a new civil society bypasses electe

Wetlands are important ecosystems that provide benefits such as flood control, water purification, and biodiversity conservation. In India, however, wetlands are threatened by pollution, encroachment, and rampant real estate development. This brief assesses the East Kolkata Wetlands to illustrate the challenges of preserving urban wetlands in India. It also presents recommendations to establish more comprehensive wetlands management and conservat

The rapid urbanisation of peri-urban areas across India requires targeted and planned intervention to allow cities to grow in a sustainable manner

It is abundantly clear that India’s urbanisation needs serious conceptual and financial inputs if it has to be pushed into the fast-track lane