Finance
Three days’ International Conclave on Urban Transformation began yesterday at Hotel Vivanta, Bhubaneswar, organised by the Department of Housing & Urban Development (H&UD), Government of Odisha.
Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Minister of Odisha, inaugurated this International Conclave by taking part in it virtually. More than 400 people from 20 states in our nation and 11 other nations have taken part in this conference. In the history of Odisha, this is the first-ever international conference on urban transformation.
In his video message of welcome to all attendees, the Chief Minister said that Odisha, the home of Lord Jagannath, gifted with a rich cultural legacy and stunning temples, is currently embarking on a revolutionary journey to develop intelligent pathways for all segment of the population.
The Chief Minister also said that Odisha is recreating inclusive cities where no one is left behind. At the heart of our vision is the empowerment of communities. Our success is not just the physical transformation, but also the profound impact it has on urban life. The essence of this transformative journey is community led urban development under the 5T framework. Sanitation, once a silent struggle, now takes confident strides with dignity. Our “Drink from Tap” mission is a commitment to the people to take them to new heights of wellbeing.
The Chief Minister said,”We firmly believe that community-led urban development is not just the story of Odisha but rather a global paradigm shift in the offing. The International Conclave on Urban Transformation is a testament to our commitment.”
He extended a warm invitation to all to learn from our experiences, create their own stories, and collaborate to build a better urban future for all.
He also urged all to embark on the journey to build vibrant and inclusive cities, where communities co-create their dreams, and every single voice is not just acknowledged but genuinely heard.
Minister, Housing and Urban Development, Government of Odisha, Usha Devi, Chief Secretary, Odisha Pradeep Kumar Jena, Additional Chief Secretary, H&UD Department, Odisha G Mathi Vathanan,
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India Rahul Kapoor attended in the inaugural session of the Conclave as guests and spoke on the occasion.
Addressing the Conclave H & UD Minister Usha Devi said, “ Urban development initiatives in Odisha has made remarkable achievements with best practices, new partnership and collaboration for inclusive development fostering innovation in multiple sectors. Providing safe drinking water, sanitation, livelihood generation support through technological innovation in urban governance are some of our priorities. People-centric, participatory and collective approach is our aim to bring quality of life in the cities.” she said.
People-centric and community-led development has been prioritized by the Odisha government, according to Chief Secretary Jena, who noted this under the capable direction of the Chief Minister. Today, urban expansion is a problem for other nations as well as for India. Even though infrastructure is something we are all investing more in, managing it may be difficult.
Speaking about the progress Odisha has made in securing land rights, he said that Jaga Mission is assisting in improving the standard of living for slum inhabitants by giving them access to basic facilities, internal road connectivity, and decent homes.
People are starting to expect better lives, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure sustainable development. Under the Drink from Tap program, Puri became the first city in Odisha to have 24 hour access to drinking water, and within 2 years our government is taking steps to cover all cities to have drinking water facilities, Chief Secretary said.
Joint Secretary, MoHUA, GOI said that Odisha has been role model in satisfying the people of Odisha providing basic urban amenities. Various schemes of State Government like Jaga Mission, Drink from Tap, MUKTA, Ama Pokhari Yojana with involvement of Mission Shakti Women SHGs and community is holding right way to go ahead for urban transformation.
Minister, H&UD, Odisha also dedicated the “Odisha Urban Academy” which will be a centre of excellence in imparting training and capacity building to all its stake holders.
Odisha Inclusive Sanitation Policy-2024 was also launched in the conclave and a Coffee Table Book on Community Partnership in Urban Governance has been released on the occasion.
Special Secretary, H&UD Department, GoO Sagarika Patnaik gave brief introduction about the scheduled programmes to be organised during the 3 days’ event.
Important sessions like “Water for All,” “Inclusive Sanitation and Waste Management,” “Community-led Urban Transformation: Odisha’s Models for Sustainable Urban Management,” “Emergency need for regulatory framework in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene,” and “Inputs from panel of key stakeholders and experts” are scheduled for these three days of programming, which will take place from 18th to 20th January, 2024.
Source:OCN
