Kerala Becomes First Indian State With Urban Policy; Commission Submits 42-Point Roadmap to CM

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Urban Policy Commission (KUPC) has submitted its final report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, making Kerala the first state in India to have a comprehensive urban policy. This milestone report, prepared after extensive consultations and studies, will shape the state’s urban development strategies for the next 25 years, especially in the face of rapid urbanization and climate change. The commission, constituted in December 2023, conducted 53 stakeholder meetings across all 14 districts, engaging over 2,500 individuals from various sectors, including municipal officials, NGOs, resident welfare associations, unions, student groups, guest workers, and gig workers. The final report is based on 10 policy pillars and 33 commissioned short studies, compiling 2,359 pages of detailed insights.
The report recommends developing a risk-informed master plan at the local level to integrate climate resilience into urban planning. The master plan should be prepared regionally, ensuring that all spatial plans, including Disaster Management Plans, Development Plans, and Local Area Plans, are aligned with urban planning strategies. The report emphasizes the need for cohesive and risk-sensitive development, particularly in ecologically fragile and hazard-prone areas. Additionally, the report suggests the formation of Metropolitan Planning Committees (MPCs) for municipal corporations. The functional areas of these MPCs should be determined based on population size, land use, and other urban development factors. To support development activities in municipal corporations, the report also recommends the introduction of municipal bonds as a funding mechanism.
Major Recommendations of the Report:
● Directly Elected Metropolitan Planning Committees (MPCs): Establish six MPCs around Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Kollam, Thrissur, and Kannur to guide urban development based on population size, connectivity, and land use patterns.
● Climate Resilience and Disaster Preparedness: Introduce a green fee on urban development projects to fund disaster risk reduction initiatives, expand disaster-specific insurance schemes, and set up a Climate Finance Advisory Cell to help local governments access green funds and carbon financing.
● Jnanashree Programme: Launch a Kudumbashree-like initiative to provide technical support and employment opportunities in urban governance by training professionals in technology, planning, management, and finance.
● City Governance Reforms: Establish a ‘City Cabinet’ headed by the Mayor in municipal corporations, replacing the current role of the Secretary with a Chief Executive. The city police chief would be part of this cabinet as an ex-officio member.
● Professionalizing Local Governments: Create specialized cells for Solid Waste Management, Climate & Disaster Management, and set up City-Level Urban Observatories. Appoint municipal staff in specialized roles such as Finance Officer, Health Officer, Electrical Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Legal Officer, Digital Officer, and Public Relations Officer.
● Digital and Data Infrastructure: Set up a state-level Digital Data Observatory, conduct LIDAR surveys in core urban areas for high-precision mapping, and use Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for subsurface infrastructure planning.
● Sustainable Industry and Economy: Develop eco-industrial parks powered by renewable energy and transform Kerala’s state universities into global research and innovation hubs. Promote knowledge-based industries and reduce licensing approval windows to 7--15 days.
● Regional Development Strategies: Designate Thrissur-Kochi as a FinTech hub, Kozhikode as the “City of Literature,” and Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam as a Knowledge Corridor. Promote Kannur as a Fashion City and Palakkad-Kasaragod as Industrial Smart Cities.
● Tourism, Heritage, and Culture: Invest in smart tourism infrastructure, revive Kerala’s waterways as eco-heritage transport corridors, and preserve the state’s handicrafts industry through digital platforms and training programs.
● Infrastructure Modernization: Improve water management by replacing outdated pipelines and regulating septic systems through decentralized treatment plants. Conduct a drainage and stormwater network audit to enhance urban flood management.
● Urban Health and Well-being: Establish city, town, and ward-level health councils, improve migrant healthcare access with language support and extended facility hours, and implement school well-being programs to reduce student stress.
● Urban Finance and Revenue Mobilization: Introduce Kerala Municipal Bonds for major cities and a pooled municipal bond system for smaller municipalities. Enhance revenue independence for local governments through taxation and cess routes.
● Enhanced Coordination Among Departments: Establish an inter-departmental coordination committee with statutory power for urban local government heads to convene meetings of all agencies operating within their domain.
● Citizen and Worker Participation: Form Worker’s Councils and Citizen’s Councils at the urban local government level, with 25% of council seats reserved for youth through proportional representation.
● Project Development Support Centers: Provide technical assistance for green and climate-resilient infrastructure projects, including modernizing solid waste management systems.
● Legislative and Regulatory Frameworks: Update the Kerala Municipality Building Rules (KMBR) and Kerala Panchayat Building Rules (KPBR) to integrate climate risk and disaster resilience measures, ensuring long-term sustainability.
● Research and Knowledge Development: Recognize the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) School of Urban Governance as a Centre of Excellence in urban policy and planning, fostering partnerships with national and international institutions.
Speaking at a press conference after the submission of the report, Minister for Local Self-Governments, Excise & Parliamentary Affairs M.B. Rajesh emphasized the importance of the policy in shaping Kerala’s future. “This is a historic step for Kerala and a model for the rest of India. Our state is witnessing urbanization at a rate far above the national average, and this policy ensures that we grow in a sustainable and resilient manner. The recommendations in this report will enable us to create an inclusive, climate-resilient, and people-centric urban landscape,” the minister said.
The state government is now set to begin the implementation phase, ensuring that the recommendations from the report are translated into effective policies that benefit Kerala’s rapidly growing urban population.