The Union government has launched a Rs 1,000 crore Hill and Himalayan Cities Focused Fund under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 to strengthen solid waste management in ecologically sensitive regions.
Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Tokhan Sahu, announced the initiative during the valedictory session of the National Urban Conclave 2025 held at Yashobhoomi India International Convention Centre, New Delhi.
Highlighting the government’s broader vision, Sahu said the country is moving “beyond the model of poverty alleviation towards one of empowerment and entrepreneurship.”
He stressed that sustained progress in this direction would require close coordination among the Centre, states, urban local bodies, and the private sector.
During the conclave, Sahu also presided over the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Government of Uttar Pradesh, Osmania University, the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), and the All India Institute of Local Self-Government (AIILSG). The partnership seeks to develop resource materials and address training and research needs for the urban sector across states and Union Territories.
The event also witnessed the launch of two key initiatives aimed at advancing the urban governance and housing ecosystem. These include the IIRS Sankalan App, designed to make urban surveys smarter and faster through GIS-based planning, and the Centre for Public Policy on Habitat and Housing at the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), Delhi.
Addressing delegates, Prof. S Mahendra Dev, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, urged that urbanisation be viewed as an economic strategy linked to national growth, inclusion, and sustainability. He called for cross-sectoral planning, adoption of low-carbon mobility, and use of real-time data for defining urban spaces.
Srinivas Katikithala, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, said that the government’s vision of developing 50 global cities will be advanced through a structured challenge framework. He announced that India will host both the BRICS Urban Forum and the Urban Tech Expo in April 2026.
The two-day National Urban Conclave 2025 focused on key themes of urban governance, circular economy, and the housing ecosystem, generating actionable insights to guide India’s roadmap toward inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development.
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