Latest news with #MinistryofHousingandUrbanAffairs


NDTV
4 hours ago
- General
- NDTV
Gurugram Man Complains About Garbage On Swachhata App, Response Leaves Him "Amazed"
A Gurugram resident was left amazed when his complaint about garbage on the Swachhata App was addressed the same day. After filing three complaints, the littered areas were cleaned within hours, leaving the user stunned by the prompt response. The resident posted about his experience on the r/Gurgaon subreddit, explaining how he used the Swachhata App to report garbage accumulation in S Block, Sector 24. The area had been plagued by waste and discarded furniture for a week, but after submitting three complaints through the app, the issues were resolved promptly. For the last 1 week, the garbage and waste furniture have been lying in the same place with no hope for cleaning. Yesterday I read about this Swachhata app and with zero hopes I posted three complaints today morning. In the evening, I came to the balcony, two of those spots were already cleaned, and the last big spot where tons of garbage were thrown was being cleaned by a tractor troller and workers. I was literally amazed," the caption of the post read, along with the before and after pictures. See the full post here: by u/RandomAtPeak in gurgaon Notably, the Swachhata-MoHUA app, launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, allows citizens to report civic issues like garbage dumps or unclean public facilities by uploading photos and details, with a promised resolution within 12 hours. The post sparked a lively discussion on Reddit, with many users impressed by the prompt response. One user expressed interest in trying the app, while another said it didn't work for him in Delhi. One person wrote, "Damn, bro, I'm gonna try this out too! " Another user commented, "This app needs more awareness. How can we make more people aware?" A third user said, "Posted the complaint about the street flooded with water, I got a message stating that your complaint is with this officer. Called him, in the evening, they successfully drained out the water." Earlier, French expat, Mathilde R, described Gurugram as a "massive landfill," prompting many residents, including former Jet Airways CEO Sanjiv Kapoor and retired Army officer Major General Yash Mor, to share images of trash-strewn streets in upscale areas like Sector 50 and Wazirabad Chowk.


New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Urban flooding loss to touch $5 billion by 2030 in Indian cities: Report
Indian cities must adapt to the growing impacts of climate change while investing in resilient municipal infrastructure and services to avert annual damage and loss of billions of dollars in flooding and urban heat-related impacts, says a new study. A dedicated programme is needed to support resilient urban development in the country and key priorities must include investing in a 10-point action plan for cities, a national and state urban resilience programme to address flooding and extreme heat, the World Bank report said and recommended a financing and implementation strategy. As per the report, 'Towards Resilient and Prosperous Cities in India', by the World Bank in collaboration with Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), Indian cities will be unable to reach their full potential if they stayed on their current development trajectory. They are highly vulnerable to climate impacts because of the heavy concentration of people and assets and limited capacity to manage the impacts. Rising risk of urban flooding Under continuing urbanisation, climate impacts and without any remedial actions, the annual losses from storm water-related or pluvial flooding are expected to be $5 billion by 2030, and between $14 billion and $30 billion by 2070. The current loss is around $4 billion a year, it revealed. The report projected that India's urban population is expected to double to 951 million by 2050 and reach 1.1 billion by 2070. This will add around 45,000 sq km of new urban areas between 2023 and 2050, and as much as 75,000 sq km between 2023 and 2070. If not managed well, this massive increase will substantially increase flood impacts while leading to contamination of water resources, supply and sanitation networks, leading to consequent health hazards and reduced quality of life, the report stated. Urban expansion has already altered the flood risk profile for many regions, and more than two-third of the urban population is at risk. As per the report, climate change and urbanisation patterns are the main drivers of pluvial flooding risks, with a forecast increase in risk of 3.6 times to 7 times by 2070.


Hans India
5 days ago
- General
- Hans India
Puttur shines in Swachh Survekshan rankings
Puttur: Puttur City Municipal Council has achieved the 8th rank in Karnataka in the Swachh Survekshan 2024–25, a nationwide cleanliness survey conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The city earned recognition for its comprehensive and sustainable waste management strategy, including 100% door-to-door waste collection and an efficient solid waste processing system. Its proactive, community-based approach sets an example for urban areas striving for cleanliness and hygiene. Among the initiatives that drew national appreciation were a biogas plant and an electronic waste collection centre, both implemented through public-private partnerships. These innovative efforts were specially acknowledged in the assessment.


Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Urbanisation must focus on ease of living, not just housing: MoHUA official
NEW DELHI: Urbanisation should go beyond housing to focus on improving ease of living, said D Thara , additional secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs . Thara stressed the need to 'reimagine urbanisation' by adopting a contextual and customized approach, rather than merely delivering housing supply. 'We need to change the way we view land and adopt a new paradigm,' she said. With urbanisation projected to accelerate sharply—matching the scale of the last century within the next two decades—she highlighted the importance of balancing urban growth with the conservation of rural and agricultural land. "We need to densify systematically," she added. Thara also noted the government's efforts to formulate policies for rejuvenating historic and business city cores, aiming to modernize urban infrastructure while preserving cultural heritage. FICCI and L&T Technology Services released a whitepaper during the conclave highlighting the need for cyber resilience in the face of increasing digitisation of core urban services. The paper points to a rising threat landscape targeting critical infrastructure — including power grids, telecom networks, financial institutions, and healthcare systems — through AI-driven phishing, ransomware, and deepfake impersonations. It advocates for a federated threat intelligence architecture that enables real-time data sharing across infrastructure sectors, supported by AI-based detection and automated response systems. Citing the MahaCyber initiative in Maharashtra, the report showcases how a state-level cyber coordination centre can serve as a blueprint. MahaCyber integrates law enforcement, CERTs, and private operators to deliver real-time cyber monitoring, AI-enabled risk scoring, and public-sector incident response workflows. Speaking at the event, OP Agarwal, advisor, FICCI Working Group on Urban Development, said innovation in the urban sector will be critical for India's growth trajectory. Vipul Roongta, MD & CEO of HDFC Capital Advisors, emphasised that urban development and housing must progress together to ensure both affordability and livability.


NDTV
22-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Indian Cities Will Need Over $2.4 Trillion By 2050 To Tackle Climate Risk: Report
New Delhi: Indian cities are becoming increasingly more vulnerable to floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related risks and will require over 2.4 trillion US dollars in investments by 2050 to build resilient and low-carbon infrastructure, according to a World Bank report released on Tuesday. The report notes that Indian cities hold tremendous potential as centres of economic growth, with 70 per cent of new jobs coming from cities by 2030. "However, timely action is needed for cities to deal with impacts from extreme weather events and avert billions of dollars in future losses," the report 'Towards Resilient and Prosperous Cities in India' states. The report, prepared in partnership with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, stated that "Annual economic losses from rain-related flooding are currently estimated at 4 billion dollars. These are projected to rise to five billion dollars by 2030 and between 14 and 30 billion dollars by 2070 if no remedial action is taken." According to the report, much of the urban expansion is occurring in "flood-prone and heat-vulnerable areas." The report identifies Delhi, Chennai, Surat and Lucknow among cities most exposed to urban heat island effects and flood risks, particularly due to settlement expansion into vulnerable areas. "In Delhi, the report highlights risks linked to rising temperatures and urban flooding. Heat stress is also expected to intensify. Between 1983 and 2016, exposure to dangerous heat levels increased by 71 percent in India's 10 largest cities, rising from 4.3 billion to 10.1 billion person-hours per year," the report added. The report raised concerns about heat-related deaths. "If emissions continue at current levels, annual heat-related deaths may rise from 1,44,000 to more than 3,28,000 by 2050. Around 20 percent of working hours in major Indian cities could be lost due to high heat stress conditions," it says. Heat mitigation alone could increase India's Gross Domestic Product by up to 0.4 per cent and save up to 130,000 lives annually by 2050, the report states. According to the report, the country's urban projected population will be around 1.1 billion by 2070. "More than 144 million new urban homes will be required, doubling the current housing stock," the report states. To offset these risks, the World Bank estimates that India will need to invest 2.4 trillion dollars by 2050 and 10.9 trillion dollars by 2070 across sectors such as housing, public transport, solid waste management, and municipal services. "However, India currently spent around 10.6 billion dollars per year from 2011 to 2018. India's current spending on urban infrastructure and services is -0.70 per cent of GDP, which is much lower than other countries and must be substantially increased", the report states. "This is both a challenge and an opportunity," said Auguste Tano Kouame, World Bank Country Director for India. Without timely action, climate risks such as flooding and extreme heat will become much more severe, Kouame added. The report states that public financing alone will not be sufficient to meet this demand. It calls for increased private sector investment through tools such as green bonds, blended finance, and access to international climate funds. The report recommends strengthening the financial autonomy of urban local bodies and improving their capacity to plan and implement bankable projects. "India's urban population stood at 480 million in 2020 and is projected to reach 951 million by 2050 and over 1.1 billion by 2070. According to the report, an estimated investment of 150 billion dollars over 15 years could enable 60 per cent of existing Indian cities to implement flood mitigation measures. The report was supported by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, a multi-donor trust fund that helps countries strengthen disaster and climate resilience.