Lok Sabha Question No. 4984 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-25
Subject: Ease of Living Index Rankings
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: Imtiaz Jaleel Syed, Asaduddin Owaisi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4984

TO BE ANSWERED ON MARCH 25, 2021

## EASE OF LIVING INDEX RANKINGS

NO. 4984.

SHRI SYED IMTIAZ JALEEL: SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state :

- (a)  whether  the  Government has recently released Ease of Living Index ranking of cities;
- (b)  if so, the criteria adopted or parameters set for the ranking;
- (c)  whether  setting  up  of  NCR  Planning  Board  has  not  met  the desired results for which it was constituted in development of
- NCR cities and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)  the  steps  taken  in  consultation  with  the  States  to  provide civic amenities on the lines of cities which have ranked top in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

(SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI)

- (a) to (d): Yes, Sir. The Ease of Living Index 2020 was released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on 4 March 2021. The index evaluates 111 Indian cities on three pillars: Quality of Life, Economic Ability, and Sustainability, which have a weightage of 70%. A Citizen Perception Survey, which has a weightage of 30% had been conducted by the Ministry to incorporate the views of the  citizens  in  these  cities.  The  parameters  under  the  three pillars are:
-  Quality  of  Life:  Education,  Health,  Housing  and  Shelter, Water Supply, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) and Solid Waste Management  (SWM),  Mobility,  Safety  and  Security,  and Recreation.

-  Economic Ability: Level of Economic Development and Economic Opportunities.
-  Sustainability: Environment, Green Space and Buildings, Energy Consumption, and City Resilience.

The Ease of Living Index 2020 report has been made available to the  States.  It  apprises  and  guides  them  on  actions  needed  to achieve broader developmental outcomes including the Sustainable  Development  Goals,  generate  information  to  guide evidence-based policy-making, assess and compare the outcomes  achieved  from  various  urban  policies  and  schemes, and  obtain  the  perception  of  citizens  about  their  view  on  the services provided by city administrations.

National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) was constituted under the NCRPB Act, 1985 with key rationale for preparation of plan for development of NCR  coordination, monitoring and implementation  of  Regional  Plan  and  to  evolve  harmonized policies for land-use control with aim for holistic development of infrastructure, avoidance of haphazard development & connected matters  thereto.  Accordingly,  Regional  Plan-2001  (RP-2001)  and Regional  Plan-2021  (RP-2021)  for  National  Capital  Region  (NCR) has been prepared by NCRPB, as mandated by the NCRPB Act, 1985.  The  National  Capital  Region  has  grown  gradually  from about 34,144 sq. km. in 2005 to about 55,083 sq. km. now.  NCR is  a  huge  and  diverse  region  with  NCT  of  Delhi  as  a  core  and adjoining  districts  across  States  of  Haryana,  Uttar  Pradesh  and Rajasthan. NCRPB is a unique example of participative decision making  with  cross-cutting,  multi-sectoral  regional  planning  and initiatives.  The  current  and  past  Regional  Plans  have  led  to transformative interventions, inter alia, such as Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), etc.

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