{"id":141005,"date":"2024-11-04T23:05:08","date_gmt":"2024-11-04T17:35:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=141005"},"modified":"2024-11-05T15:55:52","modified_gmt":"2024-11-05T10:25:52","slug":"major-challenges-indian-cities","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/major-challenges-indian-cities","title":{"rendered":"World Cities Day 2024: Challenges Faced by Indian Cities"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>World Cities Day<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was\u00a0 observed on <\/span><b>31st October <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which aims to raise global awareness of urbanization challenges and promote international cooperation in sustainable urban development.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<h3><b>World Cities Day<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The United Nations General Assembly established World Cities Day in 2013 which\u00a0 is celebrated annually on October 31.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>2O24 Theme:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8220;Youth leading climate and local action for cities\u201d, emphasising youth&#8217;s role in tackling climate issues in cities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The day was created to:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Promote international interest in global urbanisation\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encourage cooperation between countries to address urbanisation challenges\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contribute to sustainable urban development\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Raise awareness of the importance of cities in fostering innovation, economic growth, and social inclusion\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">World Cities Day is part of a larger initiative called<\/span><b> Urban October<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which begins with<\/span><b> World Habitat Day on the first Monday of October<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/world-cities-day-2024\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Also Read: World Cities Day 2024<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Key Highlights on Global Urban Population<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Extent of Urbanisation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The urban population has reached 4.7 billion (57.5% of the total population) and is expected to double by 2050.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Challenges in Urban Areas:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Cities are particularly vulnerable to climate-related risks such as extreme weather and pollution.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<h3><b>Urbanisation<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urbanization\u00a0 refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is predominantly the process by which towns and cities are formed and become larger as more people begin living and working in central areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Social and Economic Issues:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Despite progress in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), cities struggle with poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation, especially in the Global South.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Challenges in the Global South:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Rapid urbanization without adequate infrastructure has led to housing shortages, poor water and sanitation access, and heightened vulnerability to climate impacts.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Major Challenges Faced by Indian Cities<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Inadequate Urban Planning and Infrastructure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Outdated urban plans often fail to meet current population demands, resulting in overcrowded slums where 40% of the urban population lives.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The focus on capital growth over community needs leads to a lack of local engagement and poorly addresses real urban challenges.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Climate Change and Environmental Issues<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Indian cities face severe pollution, urban flooding, and the \u201cheat island effect,\u201d exacerbating health risks and affecting quality of life.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among India&#8217;s ten most polluted cities, eight are in the NCR region, reflecting serious air quality concerns.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Housing Shortages and Social Inequality<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: High-end developments cater to the wealthy, while millions remain without basic housing.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increasing social and religious segregation is visible in cities, challenging the traditionally neutral urban environment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Poverty-driven Urbanisation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Unlike the Global North, where urbanisation followed industrialisation, Indian cities experience &#8220;poverty-driven urbanisation,&#8221; largely due to economic distress and migration.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Informal Sector Dominance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Approximately <\/span><b>90% of urban jobs are in the informal sector, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with poor working conditions, low wages, and no job security for many workers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Weak Urban Governance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Despite the 74th Constitutional Amendment, city governments <\/span><b>often lack authority over urban planning,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with many responsibilities outsourced to <\/span><b>parastatals and private entities.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cities receive only<\/span><b> 0.5% of GDP in intergovernmental transfers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, limiting their ability to improve infrastructure and services effectively.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Indian government Initiatives for urban development<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Transit-oriented development: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government will create plans for transit-oriented development in 14 large cities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Smart City Project: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Launched in 2015, the Smart City Project aims to enhance urban infrastructure using technology to improve efficiency, sustainability, and quality of life in 100 selected cities. Key areas include smart mobility, digital governance, water management, and energy efficiency, making cities more livable and eco-friendly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>AMRUT Mission: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) launched in 2015 focuses on urban water supply, sewage, and green spaces in 500 cities to improve urban living standards and address infrastructure gaps.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>AMRUT Mission 2.0: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AMRUT 2.0, launched in 2021, builds on the first phase by aiming for universal water supply and sewage management in all cities with a population above 100,000, promoting a water-secure and green urban future.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Launched in 2015, PMAY-U aims to provide affordable housing for all urban poor by 2022 through financial support, in-situ redevelopment, and public-private partnerships, targeting slum dwellers and economically weaker sections.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100.043%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 130.811%; 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