Page 5 - Sustainable Urban Development: Necessity of Integrating Water-Energy-Food Dimensions in Developmental Policies
P. 5
Policy Brief
to minimize the loss of water during transmission (URDPFI) Guidelines formulated in 201514. URDPFI
from source to the end user, byelaws were made on take into account the emerging scenario in planned
reuse of recycled water and policy on user charges development of cities and towns and have provisions
were formulated for 100% cost recovery in water for rainwater harvesting, conservation of urban
supply and solid waste management. Apart from this, water bodies, water supply system, waste water
rainwater harvesting was made mandatory to cope up management system, energy efficiency, strategic plan
with problem of depleting groundwater as well as to for new and renewable energy, alternate sources
promote water conservation. of energy to meet the city demand, smart grid to
check electricity losses and many other sustainability
A recent initiative by Government of India issues have been addressed through this guideline.
for improving urban services is Atal Mission for This is the only guideline of Urban Ministry that has
Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). addressed the issue of food security in urban context
The purpose of AMRUT is to ensure that every and hence makes it imperative to look into the water
household has access to tap with assured supply of energy food inter linkages in a holistic way. Under
water and sewerage connections. It also emphasizes URDPFI, 2100 master plans have been notified out of
on universal metering, reduction in NRW, rainwater total 7933 cities and towns.
harvesting, rejuvenation of water bodies along with
recharging of ground water. These efforts will reduce Gap analysis
water supply crises and create universal access along
with minimizing the water stress in cities. Regulatory/Policy level: Reforms envisaged under
the JnNURM have not yielded desired results due
Smart Cities Mission aims to drive economic to lack of proper implementation, and its weak
growth along with improving quality of life of urban monitoring and enforcement mechanism. Among the
people through the application of smart technology. projects related to improvement in water supply, less
The Government of India has allocated US $1.2 billion than 1/3rd have been completed, rest being delayed.
for Smart Cities in the fiscal budget of 2014-15. As India None of the projects under preservation of water
is moving towards smarter solutions, it is imperative bodies have been completed. Though a toolkit to
to have a framework to deal with urbanization check NRW has been developed under JnNURM
issues based on social, economic and environmental but its usage has not been adequate due to lack of
sustainability13.. This is the only mission that interlinks capacity in municipalities. Smart Cities Mission takes
water and energy component together along with into cognizance improvement in water and energy
addressing other issues of urban ecosystem. The use efficiency, but less than 15% projects relate to
mission talks about water management through smart water and only 5% to energy, among the proposals
meters and management, leakage identification and from winning cities in round 1. Only 10 cities have
maintenance and water quality monitoring. Similarly taken the component of smart water management to
energy management component of the mission check NRW. This indicates a non-serious attitude of
includes smart meter and management, renewable civic authorities towards water and energy.
sources of energy and energy efficiency and green
buildings concept. Focusing on renewable energy Programs and policies of Ministry of Urban
10 % of smart cities energy requirement should come Development focus individually on issues related to
from solar energy. The biggest strength of SCM is the water and energy security, but are almost silent on
use of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) which is meant any provision dealing with the issues related to food
for timely and effective implementation of the reforms supply, distribution or its consumption, in urban
in the selected 100 cities. localities. Food management should be included in
the bouquet of smart solutions under SCM.
Another important landmark that takes the
nexus issue into cognizance is Urban and Regional Institutional Gaps: At present there is no committee
Development Plans Formulation and Implementation or institution to look into the WEF issues with
13 Bharat, G K and Sarkar, S K. (2016). Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 14 http://moud.gov.in/sites/upload_files/moud/files/URDPFI%20
Towards Cleaning India: A Policy Perspective. New Delhi: TERI. Guidelines%20Vol%20I.pdf14
OCTOBER 2016 5
to minimize the loss of water during transmission (URDPFI) Guidelines formulated in 201514. URDPFI
from source to the end user, byelaws were made on take into account the emerging scenario in planned
reuse of recycled water and policy on user charges development of cities and towns and have provisions
were formulated for 100% cost recovery in water for rainwater harvesting, conservation of urban
supply and solid waste management. Apart from this, water bodies, water supply system, waste water
rainwater harvesting was made mandatory to cope up management system, energy efficiency, strategic plan
with problem of depleting groundwater as well as to for new and renewable energy, alternate sources
promote water conservation. of energy to meet the city demand, smart grid to
check electricity losses and many other sustainability
A recent initiative by Government of India issues have been addressed through this guideline.
for improving urban services is Atal Mission for This is the only guideline of Urban Ministry that has
Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). addressed the issue of food security in urban context
The purpose of AMRUT is to ensure that every and hence makes it imperative to look into the water
household has access to tap with assured supply of energy food inter linkages in a holistic way. Under
water and sewerage connections. It also emphasizes URDPFI, 2100 master plans have been notified out of
on universal metering, reduction in NRW, rainwater total 7933 cities and towns.
harvesting, rejuvenation of water bodies along with
recharging of ground water. These efforts will reduce Gap analysis
water supply crises and create universal access along
with minimizing the water stress in cities. Regulatory/Policy level: Reforms envisaged under
the JnNURM have not yielded desired results due
Smart Cities Mission aims to drive economic to lack of proper implementation, and its weak
growth along with improving quality of life of urban monitoring and enforcement mechanism. Among the
people through the application of smart technology. projects related to improvement in water supply, less
The Government of India has allocated US $1.2 billion than 1/3rd have been completed, rest being delayed.
for Smart Cities in the fiscal budget of 2014-15. As India None of the projects under preservation of water
is moving towards smarter solutions, it is imperative bodies have been completed. Though a toolkit to
to have a framework to deal with urbanization check NRW has been developed under JnNURM
issues based on social, economic and environmental but its usage has not been adequate due to lack of
sustainability13.. This is the only mission that interlinks capacity in municipalities. Smart Cities Mission takes
water and energy component together along with into cognizance improvement in water and energy
addressing other issues of urban ecosystem. The use efficiency, but less than 15% projects relate to
mission talks about water management through smart water and only 5% to energy, among the proposals
meters and management, leakage identification and from winning cities in round 1. Only 10 cities have
maintenance and water quality monitoring. Similarly taken the component of smart water management to
energy management component of the mission check NRW. This indicates a non-serious attitude of
includes smart meter and management, renewable civic authorities towards water and energy.
sources of energy and energy efficiency and green
buildings concept. Focusing on renewable energy Programs and policies of Ministry of Urban
10 % of smart cities energy requirement should come Development focus individually on issues related to
from solar energy. The biggest strength of SCM is the water and energy security, but are almost silent on
use of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) which is meant any provision dealing with the issues related to food
for timely and effective implementation of the reforms supply, distribution or its consumption, in urban
in the selected 100 cities. localities. Food management should be included in
the bouquet of smart solutions under SCM.
Another important landmark that takes the
nexus issue into cognizance is Urban and Regional Institutional Gaps: At present there is no committee
Development Plans Formulation and Implementation or institution to look into the WEF issues with
13 Bharat, G K and Sarkar, S K. (2016). Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 14 http://moud.gov.in/sites/upload_files/moud/files/URDPFI%20
Towards Cleaning India: A Policy Perspective. New Delhi: TERI. Guidelines%20Vol%20I.pdf14
OCTOBER 2016 5
