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Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Agriculture is India's backbone: Mandya ZP CEO
Mandya: Agriculture is the backbone of our country. In Mandya district, a large section of the population depends on farming for their livelihood, said ZP CEO KR Nandini. She was addressing a special NSS camp on Friday for second-year BSc agriculture students, jointly organised by the University of Agricultural Sciences, Mandya NSS unit, and VC farm, at Chikkaballi–Anasosal village in the taluk. On the occasion, DRPB rural development trust distributed cloth bags and saplings to the villagers. Nandini urged agriculture students to study and understand the root challenges faced by farmers in rural areas. "Most of us come from farming families. The knowledge gained in universities should not remain confined to books—it must be applied in the field to solve agricultural problems," she stressed. Highlighting issues such as declining incomes, rising input costs, and environmental concerns, she said research and practical solutions are key to sustaining agriculture. She also underlined the importance of cleanliness in villages, linking it directly to health and overall development. "NSS camps give special importance to hygiene. Everyone must cultivate the habit of maintaining personal and community cleanliness," she noted. She further said that gram panchayats collecting and managing highest dry waste would receive a 'Challenge Fund' as an incentive. District KDP member and DRPB trust president CM Dyavappa called on rural residents to protect the environment, by reducing use of plastic and maintaining cleanliness. He encouraged them to plant trees instead of cutting cakes on birthdays and protect the environment. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
26-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Greening India's smart cities: From budgetary intent to scalable impact
The recent announcement of the Urban Challenge Fund in the Union Budget marks a pivotal shift in India's urban development strategy. By positioning 'Cities as Growth Hubs' and enabling 'Creative Redevelopment', the initiative reflects growing recognition that India's economic future, climate resilience, and overall livability will be shaped by our cities. Urban India already drives over 60% of the country's GDP, despite occupying just 3% of its land. By 2036, nearly 600 million Indians—close to 40% of population—will call cities home. The pace of urbanisation is not just rapid; it is transformative. In six years, annual housing completions in the top seven cities more than doubled, from 2.5 lakh units in 2018 to 5.3 lakh in 2024. Yet, demand for homes and infrastructure continues to rise, reflected in steep housing prices that have jumped from ₹5,500 to over ₹7,000 per square foot. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Product Management Finance Degree Data Analytics Leadership Public Policy Data Science Artificial Intelligence Technology healthcare Digital Marketing Project Management Design Thinking CXO MBA others Healthcare Others Cybersecurity Management Data Science PGDM Operations Management MCA Skills you'll gain: Product Strategy & Roadmapping User-Centric Product Design Agile Product Development Market Analysis & Product Launch Duration: 24 Weeks Indian School of Business Professional Certificate in Product Management Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Creating Effective Product Roadmap User Research & Translating it to Product Design Key Metrics via Product Analytics Hand-On Projects Using Cutting Edge Tools Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business ISB Product Management Starts on May 14, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Product Strategy & Competitive Advantage Tactics Product Development Processes & Market Orientations Product Analytics & Data-Driven Decision Making Agile Development, Design Thinking, & Product Leadership Duration: 40 Weeks IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate in Product Management Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details But beneath this growth story lies a more sobering reality. As our cities expand to meet economic needs, they are also becoming fragile. Indian cities are warming 37% faster than the national average and are increasingly vulnerable to climate stress. The question is no longer how much we build—but how well. The future of India's urban transformation depends on how we plan, construct, and operate cities sustainably and inclusively. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 most beautiful women in the world Undo Early wins hint at India's green city potential Encouragingly, green urbanism is no longer peripheral. A combination of progressive state policies and shifting consumer preferences is beginning to reshape the development landscape. States have long offered supply-side incentives to developers—such as additional Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for green projects or fast-track approvals that shorten timelines by up to 20%. What's newer—and critical—is the emergence of demand-side measures. States like Maharashtra now incentivise homeowners directly, offering graded property tax rebates of up to 10% for buyers of platinum-rated green homes, with smaller rebates for gold and silver-rated buildings. This nudge is timely, as less than 10% of India's residential stock is green certified. Developers are also stepping up. Leading players are aligning with net-zero goals , not just in principle but through action. Lodha Group , for instance, has cut Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by over 80%. Yet, green urbanism is still the exception, not the norm For all the progress, India's urban form still reflects legacy models—car-centric layouts, unplanned sprawl, and reactive infrastructure. Many indicators remain below global benchmarks. In Delhi, India's largest public transit network serves only 18% of residents within a 500-metre radius of a station. Nationwide, over two-thirds of urban settlements lack formal master plans. Where plans exist, they often overlook peri-urban growth and climate risks. 40% of sanctioned urban planning posts remain unfilled. Live Events A few cities are breaking this mold. Surat, for instance, has adopted a regional plan, linking surrounding towns into a cohesive spatial and economic framework. But such examples remain rare. Globally, cities like Paris and Shanghai are embracing 15-minute city models—where daily needs are within walking distance. These approaches integrate nature-based planning and efficient infrastructure to boost livability and reduce emissions. Indian cities can adapt such models, especially in fast-growing fringes. The construction phase also needs attention. On-site emissions are largely unmonitored. Prefabricated and modular construction can reduce material waste by up to 50%. Electrifying on-site machinery, deploying low-cost sensors to monitor emissions, and shifting to renewable power sources are practical steps. Procurement norms can be updated to favor low-embodied-carbon materials. However, systemic barriers remain—such as fragmented value chains, limited awareness. Addressing these requires coordination—from updating contracting models to enabling innovation and improving transparency. Globally, cities are moving: Amsterdam will mandate 20% biobased homes by 2025, cutting emissions by 220,000 tonnes annually. Lastly, but most importantly, is the operations phase of buildings. Operational energy use contributes nearly 70% of total emissions over a building's lifetime. Addressing this segment is critical. Smart systems can significantly improve performance. From self-regulating HVAC and lighting to IoT-enabled energy tracking, these tools are already available. Passive features—natural ventilation, optimal insulation, and daylighting—can reduce reliance on mechanical systems. Upgrading to energy-efficient appliances and pumps offers both emissions and lifecycle cost savings. 'The Edge' in Amsterdam, often called the world's greenest office, uses 28,000 sensors, solar energy, and smart controls to generate more energy than it consumes. From pilots to playbooks: what needs to change The solutions are known. What's needed now is scale. India must move from pilot projects to a playbook for systemic transformation. That shift requires action across three fronts. Governments must adopt a whole-systems lens—aligning policies, funding, and institutional capacity toward green urbanism. Proven interventions should be scaled, and urban planning recruitment must be prioritised. Secondly, real estate developers also have a critical role to play in shaping climate-resilient, people-centric assets. This includes moving beyond isolated projects to building integrated, mixed-use communities—such as 15-minute neighbourhoods. Green development should be viewed not as a compliance requirement or CSR initiative, but as a strategic business opportunity like rental premium and operational cost savings. Lastly, citizens, too, have a role. By demanding access to public transit, green spaces, and efficient homes, they can influence policy and market behavior. The bottom line: India's urban shift is rapid, with growing focus on climate-smart planning and green construction. Scaling impact now needs strong policy, institutional capacity, and real implementation across the real estate value chain. The writers are Neetu Vasanta, India Leader - Travel, Cities & Infrastructure, BCG and Yashi Tandon, Lead Knowledge Analyst, BCG.
