Ways to strengthen collaboration between India, UN-HABITAT discussed

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) Executive Director, Joan Clos, today called on Union Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Kumari Selja in New Delhi.

During their 40 minutes meeting, both Selja and Clos discussed ways to strengthen collaboration between the Indian government and the UN-HABITAT, and also explored possibilities of new areas of cooperation.

Referring to the fast urbanization in India, Selja said that the government has taken several initiatives to meet the challenges of the urbanization through schemes such as JNNURM and Rajiv Awas Yojana.

She said that UN-HABITAT can cooperate with India with its expertise and technical knowhow in urban planning and design to plan inclusive cities.

The Minister further said that the UN-HABITAT and the Indian government can jointly workout the best models of urban planning in context of India.

Both sides agreed that the UN-HABITAT should have more engagement with the Indian government.

Selja further made a commitment to enhance the contribution from the Indian government to UN-HABITAT, which currently stands at 80,000 dollars per annum.

The UN-HABITAT is the United Nations agency for human settlements.

It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.

This apart, UN-HABITAT has been actively involved in a number of projects in India at the national, state, district and local levels. Over the years, several activities of UN-HABITAT have been organized in close collaboration with the Indian government.

India is a founding member of UN-HABITAT and has been playing a leading role by actively participating in its deliberations.

The World Urban Forum (WUF) was established by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing problems facing the world today: rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies.

Since the first meeting in Nairobi, Kenya in 2002, the Forum has grown in size and stature as it travelled to Barcelona in 2004, Vancouver 2006, and Nanjing in 2008. (ANI)