PLANNING TO AVERT URBAN DISASTERS

All this calls for a bold new agenda of urbanization. The Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission is a good beginning, but does not address the creation of new towns. This calls for political innovation and boldness.

To take on the challenge of releasing land for urbanization, to begin with. Ousting villagers or fobbing them off with paltry compensation is not a viable option in democratic India. The solution is to convert those who lose land to urban projects into stakeholders in what comes up on their erstwhile land.

There would be no unique one way to achieve this. Political imagination can, however, find a way – provided it is rooted in the welfare of the collective, rather than in the cavalier whimsy of an elite.

Those states that can find the best way to urbanize fast will win the race to prosperity. Happy building!

Courtesy:- ET dtd:- 19-02-09