Lok Sabha Question No. 4740 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-21
Subject: Promoting Gender Equality in City Planning
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Shashank Mani

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4740

TO BE ANSWERED ON AUGUST 21, 2025

## PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY IN CITY PLANNING

NO. 4740.    SHRI SHASHANK MANI:

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

- (a) whether the Government has outlined a vision for enhancing the capacity of  urban  staff  to  work  in  coordination  with  advanced  smart  city technologies;
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  the  training  programmes  or  skill development initiatives introduced in this regard;
- (c)  whether  there  are  specific  programmes  aimed  at  promoting  gender equality  and  empowering  women  in  urban  planning  and  management roles; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## MINISTRY HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE (SHRI TOKHAN SAHU)

(a) & (b): Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is implementing  Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation  and  Urban  Transformation (AMRUT),  which  was  launched  on  25  June,  2015.  Smart  elements, components and technologies are part of AMRUT projects and this aims to promote sustainable urban development. AMRUT guidelines provide for smart  elements  such  as  Supervisory  Control  and  Data  Acquisition (SCADA) as part of the water supply and sewerage projects. As reported by  States/Union  Territories  (UTs),  230  Water  supply  projects  and  146 Sewerage projects have been implemented with SCADA.

Technology Sub-Mission is an important component of AMRUT 2.0 to encourage start-up ideas and private entrepreneurship and commissioning them into the pilot projects. As reported by States/UTs, under AMRUT 2.0, 1,512 water supply projects, 247 Sewerage projects are  approved  with  SCADA.  Under  AMRUT,  against  the  target  of  45000 functionaries, 57134 functionaries have already been trained so far. Under AMRUT 2.0, capacity building programs are conducted for all stakeholders including contractors, plumbers, plant operators, students, women and citizens.

(c) & (d): MoHUA  has  designated  4  Institutes  in  different  regions  as Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Urban Planning and Design, which inter alia impart certified trainings/ certified courses to Civil Servants, State Town Planners, Municipal O ff icials, practitioners/professionals, young students etc.

MoHUA has launched Urban Renaissance Tech Program (URTP) for Urban Managers to create techno managerial leaders in urban planning and management roles, so far, 300 professionals have registered for the program.

Besides, MoHUA has also designated 6 institutes as AMRUT Funded Centre of Urban Planning for Capacity Building. The role envisaged for these institutes inter alia include subject specific trainings to Municipal officials/  Town  and  Country  Planning  officials,  augmenting  capacity building  of  State  /  Local  authorities  and  hand  holding  them  in  urban planning.

MoHUA  promotes  gender  sensitive  and  inclusive  urban  planning. Under  AMRUT  2.0,  Ministry  has  also  launched  AMRUT  Mitra  initiative which  involves  women  Self  Help  Groups  (SHGs)  in  water  demand management, water quality testing, water infrastructure operations, and other water sectoral projects. So far, 1965 projects worth ₹162.81 crore have been approved under this initiative.

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