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Context:

The World Cities Day is observed annually on October 31.

About World Cities Day

World Cities Day was established in December 2013 by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution A/RES/68/239, in which the General Assembly "decided to designate 31 October as World Cities Day.”

The Day is annually observed by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) on October 31. The inaugural World Cities Day was held in October 2014.

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme is the United Nations programme for human settlements and sustainable urban development. It was established in 1977 as an outcome of the first United Nations Conference on Human Settlements and Sustainable Urban Development held in Vancouver, Canada, in 1976. 

The objective is to promote cooperation among countries in meeting opportunities and addressing challenges associated with urbanization, and to contribute to sustainable urban development worldwide.

The day coincides with Sustainable Development Goal 11, which calls for cities to be "inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable".

The theme for 2024 World Cities Day is ‘Youth Climate Changemakers: Catalysing Local Action for Urban Sustainability’.

About Indian Cities

Rapid urbanization in India is the result of various factors, including economic growth in cities, and lack of growth opportunities in rural areas.

India's urbanization involves both rural-to-urban and urban-to-urban migration.

What are the key urban challenges faced by Indian cities?

Urban planning largely failed to adapt with the population growth. Most of the planning prioritizes Capital growth over community needs which resulted in inadequate development of basic infrastructure facilities.

It is estimated that by 2030, 40.6% of the country's population will be living in urban areas. Cities are already facing the challenge of overcrowding and poor living conditions, the lack of affordable housing for the lower income population increasing the slums and unauthorized colonies.  Therefore, making space and ensuring better living conditions for the increasing urban population will be a big challenge.

High level of pollution in cities. According to the World Health Organization report covering the period from 2010 to 2022, India has 9 out of 10 most polluted cities in the world. Climate change results in urban flooding and other environmental disasters.

Despite the 74th Constitutional Amendment, most cities are still governed by undemocratic bodies. Although cities have elected representatives, they rarely have control over urban planning, which is frequently delegated to state agencies and private entities. For example, less than three of the 18 functions listed in the 12th Schedule have been widely transferred to urban governments, and cities receive only 0.5% of GDP in intergovernmental transfers.

Way Forward

To address the challenges of urbanization, there is a need to adopt a comprehensive national policy to focus on sustainable urban planning and effective governance that empowers local bodies to make decisions. A collective effort from all stakeholders, including government, civil society and the private sector can create more sustainable and equitable urban cities for all.

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Source:

The Hindu

Wikipedia

PRACTICE QUESTION Q.Consider the following statements in the context of World Cities Day: 1. World Cities Day is an annual United Nations observance day held on 31 October. 2. The 2024 World Cities Day theme is ‘Youth Climate Changemakers: Catalysing Local Action for Urban Sustainability’. Which of the above statements is/are correct? A) 1 only B) 2 only C) Both 1 and 2 D) Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: C Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: World Cities Day is an annual United Nations observance celebrated on October 31. It is organized by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). Statement 2 is correct: The theme for 2024 World Cities Day is ‘Youth Climate Changemakers: Catalysing Local Action for Urban Sustainability’. The day coincides with Sustainable Development Goal 11, which calls for cities to be "inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable".