New Delhi: The two-day National Urban Conclave 2026 concluded in Bhubaneswar on Saturday with a comprehensive set of actionable recommendations aimed at strengthening urban governance, planning, infrastructure and service delivery to support India’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Addressing the valedictory session, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal said the conclave was intended to identify future urban challenges and develop practical solutions for sustainable city development. Highlighting the progress made under flagship programmes such as AMRUT, Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban and PM SVANidhi, he cited improvements in water supply, sanitation, waste management, urban mobility and financial inclusion. He stressed the need for affordable housing near workplaces and public transport networks, promotion of circular construction practices and continued remediation of legacy waste sites.
Speaking at the closing session, Satendra Singh, Secretary, Department of Urban Development, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, emphasized that urban development initiatives should be assessed on the quality of services delivered rather than project completion alone. He underlined the importance of stronger municipal institutions, improved financial management, better inter-agency coordination and enhanced accountability mechanisms to improve urban service delivery.
Delivering the special address, Rajiv Gauba, Member, NITI Aayog, called for reforms in urban governance, planning and municipal finance to support India’s urban transition. He advocated greater devolution of powers and resources to urban local bodies, stronger municipal leadership and improved fiscal autonomy. He also highlighted the need for modern land-use planning, higher-density development and transit-oriented growth to improve affordability and enhance economic productivity.
The conclave’s seven technical sessions focused on themes including pedestrian infrastructure, water and waste management, affordable housing, integrated urban development, urban service delivery, building regulations and municipal governance. Participants recommended statutory protection of pedestrian rights, integrated planning of water and waste systems, expanded affordable housing provisions, GIS-based urban planning, outcome-based service delivery frameworks, simplified building approval processes and stronger municipal institutions with greater financial and administrative powers.
Several initiatives were launched during the event, including the Used Water Marketplace under AMRUT 2.0, the Urban Challenge Fund Portal, and the Online Interactive Municipal Finance Data Hub. Other launches included 18 Street Food Hubs under PM SVANidhi, the children’s publication Swachhata Ke Superheroes, the CPWD Nirman project-monitoring platform, the CPWDway digital learning portal, and a new internship programme for engineering and architecture students through AICTE’s National Internship Portal.
A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO) to promote technical cooperation in the reuse and management of treated wastewater.
The conclave concluded with a consensus on the need for stronger urban institutions, sustainable infrastructure development, improved municipal governance and citizen-centric service delivery to support India’s long-term urban growth strategy.
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