Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 8 (IANS) Thiruvananthapuram is all set to host the 73rd three day National Town and Country Planners Conference from Friday.
During the conference, leading urban planners and policymakers will deliberate on sustainable, inclusive and resilient development of India’s urban and country’s landscapes.
‘Intelligent, Digital Spatial Planning and Governance’ is the focal theme of the conference, organised by the Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI), New Delhi, with the support of the Local Self Government Department (LSGD), Government of Kerala.
ITPI President N. K.Patel said the meeting will deliberate on a host of live topics relating to urban and country development including technological advancements, the effectiveness of smart cities, and finances of local bodies and mitigating the impact of climatic challenges.
ITPI is the premier institution of qualified urban planners in the country which came into existence in 1951 with the vision to promote dynamic, inclusive and integrated town and country planning practice, education, research and institutional mechanisms for vibrant, sustainable and resilient spatio-economic development of towns, cities and regions.
“The conference will come out with insights and perspectives that will contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat and the goal of the country growing into a $5 trillion economy,” said ITPI Secretary General V.P. Kulshrestha.
Town planners from across the country are assembling in the city at a time when climate change is posing grim challenges in its various manifestations like urban floods, landslides and storms.
With an extensive coastline and vast river systems, India faces significant risks from climate change.
The conference will consider this issue prominently, and come out with an action plan to address its impact on spatial planning, he said.
Geospatial technologies, data analytics, Artificial Intelligence, cloud-based platforms, Virtual and Augmented Reality, and flexible and adaptive planning, which have a crucial role to play in India’s futuristic advancement, are among the topics to be covered by the meeting.
The strides made by Kerala in participatory planning by empowering local democracy as the first state to implement the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution will be showcased at the meeting.
The decentralised planning process can address multiple issues including disaster management, climate change local economic development and women empowerment. There will be special presentations by the Women Planners Forum.
–IANS
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