Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Minister Participates in National Urban Convention 2024.
New Delhi:
Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh attended the National Urban Convention 2024 as Guest of Honour and panelist today, hosted by the Praja Foundation in New Delhi. The event also marked the launch of the Urban Governance Index 2024.
During a session on “Reimagining Municipal Governance,” Singh emphasized the state government’s commitment to enhancing urban centers, noting that approximately 10% of Himachal Pradesh’s population resides in urban areas. He highlighted Dharamsala and Shimla’s development as emerging smart cities.
Singh announced the implementation of the Urban Platform for Delivery of Online Governance (UPYOG) under the National Urban Digital Mission (NUDM), aimed at transforming the citizen experience with municipal services. This initiative will offer integrated, end-to-end solutions through a state-wide service delivery infrastructure, allowing citizens to access a variety of government services via a single digital portal for all 60 urban local bodies.
The Minister expressed the department’s intent to study successful initiatives from other states to enhance urban governance in Himachal Pradesh. He underscored the importance of international air connectivity and a strengthened railway network to support fast urbanization, in addition to the robust road network already established in the state. He also mentioned ongoing initiatives under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, particularly in the area of green hydrogen.
The convention featured insights from notable figures, including M.B. Rajesh, Minister of Local Self Government in Kerala, and Jaya Prakash Narayan, Founder and General Secretary of the Foundation for Democratic Reforms, who also addressed the importance of strengthening municipal governance.
Nitai Mehta, Founder and Managing Trustee of the Praja Foundation, welcomed the panelists and outlined the convention’s aims and objectives. The event was attended by senior officials from relevant ministries, NITI Aayog representatives, and members of various NGOs.
