Kerala Becomes First State to Approve Comprehensive Urban Policy

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has become the first state in the country to approve a comprehensive Urban Policy to guide its development for the next 25 years. The State Cabinet has given approval to the draft policy prepared by the Local Self-Government Department, marking the end of nearly two years of continuous work. The government had announced the move in the 2023–24 State Budget.

The Urban Policy is aimed at managing Kerala’s fast urbanisation in a planned and scientific manner. In December 2023, the government constituted a Kerala Urban Policy Commission with national and international experts. The Commission submitted the Navakerala Urban Policy Report to the Chief Minister in March 2025. A global conference was later held in Kochi to discuss the report in detail. Ministers, mayors, public representatives and experts from across the country and abroad took part. The final policy includes suggestions that emerged from these discussions.

According to the Commission’s estimates, Kerala is expected to become 80 percent urbanised by 2050. The policy recognises the spread of decentralised urban growth across densely populated regions between the highlands and the coastal belt. In the context of climate change and increasing pressure on ecologically sensitive areas, the policy will serve as a guiding document for scientific urban planning. It also aims to use urbanisation as a driver of economic growth.

The policy builds on Kerala’s tradition of decentralised governance and participatory planning. The focus is on inclusive growth, ensuring that the benefits of urban development reach all sections of society. Along with improving infrastructure, the policy seeks to reduce social and spatial inequalities and strengthen support systems.