India gets UN-Habitat funds to improve urban cities

Betwa Sharma

United Nations, Oct 6 (PTI) India has bagged the maximum
number of grants from the United Nations-Habitat to fund its
youth-led development projects in urban cities.

The UN agency that promotes socially and environmentally
sustainable cities, has granted funds for 67 projects in 33
countries across the world.

The projects will involve themes of poverty alleviation,
spreading education, improving environment, health and safety
for city dwellers.

"Major challenges of the 21st century include the rapid
growth of many cities and the decline of others, the expansion
of the informal sector and the role of the cities in causing
or mitigating climate change," UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon said on the 'World Habitat Day', marked to reflect on
the condition of towns and cities around the world since 1986.

"Evidence from around the world suggests that the
governments at all levels are largely failing to address these
challenges," he said, pointing out the growth of overcrowded
tenetment zones, ethnic enclaves, slums and informal
settlements.

Out of some 1 billion slum dwellers in the world today,
it is estimated that more than 70 per cent are under 30.

"World Habitat Day is a good chance to look into the
problem of people without housing and how to help them," US
President Barack Obama said in a video-taped message at the
function held at the National Building Museum in Washington.
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