Urban revitalization :- The collaborative approach to city development a Must for BIHAR.

URBANIZATION

As per UN estimates, urban areas in India already contribute more than 60 per cent to GDP. Unfortunately our state Bihar is only 11% urbanized. But it also means we have the largest room to grow. The policymakers sitting in Patna should realize that Urbanization is imminent - an all-pervading natural progression driven by a combination of organic and inorganic growth factors (rural-urban migration, population growth, etc.) and involving both brownfield and greenfield development. New urban ecosystems will need to be built for the future, in a structured manner, and with adequate control on usage of natural resources and energy.

No doubt that city are responsible for the consumption of energy and natural resources, for green-house gas emissions and are often home to rising socio-economic inequity. However, urban history (Bihar had a great urban culture in ANCIENT TIMES) has demonstrated time and again that cities can also be sites of innovation, environmental resilience and preparedness, commerce, research and cultural growth. If planned well, urbanization need not be decoupled from resource efficiency, or environmental and socioeconomic responsiveness. In fact the State government should realize that urbanization can play a key role in eradicating rural poverty; research in India towards this end has indicated that an increase in urban population is directly correlated to a decrease in rural poverty.

Our state’s urban future should increasingly be a focus area for not just experts representing government, business and academia, but also for civil society.

We must clearly identify and articulate policies and tools that can give our state fast-growing, sustainable and inclusive cities that can catapult the urban experience for all in Bihar.

This is no easy task though, given the diversity of our populations and the infrastructural and environmental tasks before us. The challenge will be in meeting the ever-growing expectations of city capabilities. No longer will success be judged only on economic and architectural merit, but also on performance as a source of inspiration, productivity improvement and well-being support. This is perhaps where the private sector can play a deeper and more meaningful role. An enabling environment with a long-term vision encompassing collaborative development and governance models, the ‘right’ infrastructure and capacity building, can realize urban development in Bihar that is sustainable, inclusive and equitable.