UPD 2023
Urban India: Policy Cornerstones for the Next Leap

Discussions during the 9th edition of UPD centred on Urban India: Policy Cornerstones for the Next Leap. The focus was on six themes that are set to determine the future course of Indian cities: economic growth and development policy; deepening governance and administrative reforms; public and municipal finance; improved land management; re-imagining infrastructure as service; and, promoting green innovation.

Summary Of Discussions

An annual flagship event of the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), the UPD brings together select participants from diverse spheres of action to reflect on a bolder, more sustainable, and more equitable urban transformation agenda for India. The first edition of the UPD was held in 2014, as the second generation of the country’s flagship urban policies were being formulated.

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Climate Finance in India 2023

This report takes stock of the current climate finance landscape in India, along with the estimated financing requirements, enabling conditions and macro policy instruments to achieve national 1.5oC and 2oC goals. While the negative impact of climate change on India’s economy is projected by scholars at around 3 to 10 percent of annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP), meeting the global 1.5°C target will require investments of 7 to 18 per cent of country’s GDP.

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Indian Municipal Finance 2023

This study examines decadal time-series data from 33 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of varying sizes across India. The findings reveal persistent challenges around intergovernmental transfers, revenue mobilisation and O&M (operations and maintenance) expenditure, while identifying opportunities to address some of these concerns.

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The Urban in India’s Recent State Budgets

This study explores the pivotal role of Indian state governments in shaping urban development. Examining five diverse states—Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu—during the 2021-22 to 2023-24 period, the research reveals a recent surge in attention and financial commitment to urban development. This study provides valuable insights into the nuanced strategies of state governments, the variations among them, and the role of centrally sponsored schemes.

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Urban Land and Property Systems in India: The Case and Agenda for Reform

This policy brief draws attention to the current status of land and property information system in Indian cities, and core gaps therein. It dwells on the case for reforming the country’s urban land and property record systems and proposes a way forward.

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The State of Real Estate Regulation in India 2023

This report draws on data available in the public domain from 18 RERAs and their websites to take stock of the progress made in last seven years in relation to the remit of RERA activity, the extent and timeliness of project disclosures, arrangements for grievance redress and institutional functioning of real estate regulatory authorities.

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Urban Employment Programmes

This policy brief examines urban employment programmes (UEPs) in India offering insights into three models of UEPs currently prevalent in India, including the scope and design of these programmes, the nature of permitted works, and delivery mechanisms. It suggests changes and modifications towards the design and operationalisation of UEPs so that they can also be leveraged to take on broader questions of urban inequalities.

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The Need for Real Time and Granular Data to Study the Urban Economy

The policy brief argues that the recent economic growth agenda driven by cities is severely constrained by gaps in the ways by which data is collected and released, and the level of spatial granularity available. While some datasets offer some potential, it is important to address the gaps in order to more effectively make economic and urban plans, as well as prioritise areas for infrastructure investments.

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The Application of Granular Economic Data for Improved Planning and Decision-making in Indian Cities

To address the need for granular data on urban economies, IIHS’ research has compiled such a dataset for the Indian city of Bangalore, covering formal and informal firms across different kinds of economic activities at a high level of spatial granularity. In this brief, we present applications of this newly constructed dataset for understanding Bangalore’s urban economy, and make a case for how this can play an important role to support better economic and urban planning for Indian cities.

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