New Delhi: A new study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) suggests a framework for Indian states and cities to facilitate economic growth and job creation by developing city-level economic visions, integrating master planning with economic goals, and ensuring that a business-friendly regulatory environment extends to local levels. “India’s urbanization is offers great potential for its economic goals,” an ADB press release stated.
The study was conducted on 12 cities across seven states using the concept of natural cities, which captures the urbanization process beyond formal city limits. It found that a lack of common economic vision, an absence of integrated land records and complex processes for land acquisition and development, and inadequate institutional and capacity constraints were key bottlenecks to the growth of cities in India.
To address these challenges, the ADB recommends that cities adopt a city economic council with a governance structure tailored to state and city characteristics, align the city’s economic vision with a regional spatial strategy, and create city partnerships for thematic development opportunities and implementation.
The study also suggests that cities need to modernize and digitize land records systems, streamline the land acquisition process, and strengthen the capacity of local bodies and institutions to plan and implement development projects.