Lok Sabha Question No. 692 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-24
Subject: Climate-resilient Urban Infrastructure
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: Smt. Roopkumari Choudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.692

TO BE ANSWERED ON JULY 24, 2025

## CLIMATE-RESILIENT URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE

NO. 692.  SMT. ROOPKUMARI CHOUDHARY:

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

- (a) the manner in which the Government is incorporating climate resilience into urban planning and infrastructure development to address  recurring  issues  such  as  flooding,  waterlogging  and damage to critical systems like roads, drainage and housing during the monsoon season;
- (b)  the  concrete  steps  being  taken  to  safeguard  vulnerable communities, particularly those in informal settlements and floodprone areas, from the adverse impacts of climate-induced disasters,  ensuring  their  inclusion  in  disaster  preparedness  and recovery efforts;
- (c)  the  manner  in  which  the  Government  is  utilizing  technology such  as  early  warning  systems,  real-time  data  monitoring  and innovative disaster response tools to strengthen urban resilience and improve coordination during extreme weather events; and
- (d) the financial strategies, incentives or partnerships the Government is establishing to mobilize resources and encourage private  sector  involvement  in  building  sustainable  and  climateresilient urban infrastructure?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS (SHRI TOKHAN SAHU)

- (a) to (d):  As per 12th Schedule of the Constitution of India, urban planning falls under the purview of the State Governments and the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)/ Urban Development Authorities at city level, who are responsible for maintaining the drainage and sewerage system. Government of India supplements the efforts of the States through schematic interventions/ advisories. It provides financial and technical  support  to  the  States  to  strengthen  Urban  Planning ecosystem.

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has published the  following  documents/advisory  guidelines  for  improving  urban drainage and flood management, viz.:

- i. Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) Guidelines, 2014:

https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/URDPFI%20Guidelines% 20Vol%20I(2).pdf

- ii. Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Urban Flooding https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/SOP%20Urban%20floodi ng\_5%20May%202017.pdf
- iii. River Centric Urban Planning Guidelines in 2021 to enable cities in  the  development  of  conjunctive  water  management  approaches including nature-based solution

https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/RCUP%20Guidelines.pdf iv. Guidance Document on Creation of Rain Water Harvesting Parks https://mohua.gov.in/pdf/6566e1048ab41guidance-document-on-

rainwater-harvesting-parks-final.pdf

Under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), storm water drainage was an admissible component, which involved construction and improvement of drains/ storm water drains in order to reduce and eliminate flooding. Under AMRUT, 838 Storm Water  Drainage  projects  worth  ₹3016.82  crore  were  approved.  As reported  by  the  States,  809  Storm  Water  Drainage  projects  worth ₹2,401.38  crore  have  been  completed,  which  has  resulted  in elimination of 3,759 water logging points.

Under AMRUT 2.0, rejuvenation of water bodies and wells is one of the main components. The admissible elements under this include harvesting the rainwater through storm water drains into water body (which is not receiving sewage/ effluent). Under AMRUT 2.0, 3,032 water body rejuvenation projects worth ₹6,210.66 crore have been approved so far.

MoHUA is also implementing a Sub-Scheme on 'Formulation of Geographic Information System (GIS) based Master Plan for AMRUT Cities'  under  AMRUT.  Under  this  sub-scheme,  geo  database  is created as per the Design and Standards documents published by MoHUA. Further, under AMRUT 2.0, Sub Scheme on Formulation of GIS based Master Plans has been launched for Class-II towns with the population 50,000 - 99,999. Under this Sub-scheme the geo database is created  through  Very High Resolution  Satellite  Image  or  Drone

Technology  as  per  Design  &  Standards  documents  published  by MoHUA.  MoHUA  has  signed  Memorandum  of  Understandings  for creation  of  geo  database  through  satellite  images  with  National Remote Sensing Centre and through Drone technology with Survey of India.  The  State  Government  can  use  the  geo-spatial  data  for management of urban floods also.

To give further boost to the urban infrastructure sector, in the Budget 2025-26, Government has announced setting up of an Urban Challenge Fund of ₹1 lakh crore to implement the proposals for 'Cities as Growth Hubs', 'Creative Redevelopment of Cities' and 'Water and Sanitation'.  This  fund  finances  up  to  25  per  cent  of  the  cost  of bankable projects with a stipulation that at least 50 per cent of the cost is funded from bonds, bank loans, and Pubic Private Partnership.

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