What Budget 2024 Promised For Urban Development: Six Points

As India's urbanisation continues to rise, the government's budget aims to further this progress by supporting urban development and leveraging cities as growth engines.

While infrastructure and industrial development are ongoing across the country, the focus also comes into the existing and emerging cities for enhancing facilities and systems for the growing workforce and supporting the economy.

Here are six support measures announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her Union Budget speech:

One, In line with the goal of housing for all, an investment of Rs 10 lakh crore has been allocated to address the needs of 1 crore urban poor, with Rs 2.4 lakh crore of central assistance over the next five years.

Two, the government will promote housing facilities, specifically rental housing in the form of dormitories for the workforce, through a public-private partnership model — which will particularly support new-age manufacturing and industrial growth.  

Three, transit-oriented development (TOD) is planned for 14 large cities with populations exceeding 30 lakh. TOD is a widely embraced approach that promotes development along public transit corridors, leading to more efficient land utilisation. In Mumbai and Bengaluru, development and metro authorities are also pursuing TOD policies along its existing and upcoming metro corridors.

Four, a framework for the brownfield redevelopment of selected cities will be established to revamp regions and older neighbourhoods within existing urban areas.  

Five, orderly development of peri-urban areas will be supported — to aid the expansion of major cities through proper transit connectivity and economic development.

Six, water supply, sewage treatment and solid waste management for 100 large cities — as it remains a major issue yet in most Indian cities.