Quality of life in cities has to be improved, says Dharam Singh

Quality of life in cities has to be improved, says Dharam Singh

The Hindu

Three-day meet on process of innovation in dynamic city-regions begins



DISCUSSING INNOVATION: Ajay Dua, Secretary (left), Union Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, and F. Richard of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation greeting the Industries Minister, P.G.R. Sindhia, at a conference in Ba ngalore on Wednesday. The Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, is seen. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: The standard of living of people, including their access to good health facilities, needs to be improved for cities to do well, the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, said on Wednesday.

"Cities are growing at such a rapid rate that there might be problems if this is not looked into," he said at the second international conference on "Process of innovation and learning in dynamic city-regions."

Mr. Singh said Bangalore should serve as a case study for innovation and application of information and communication technologies. The city is a frontrunner in adopting a commercial pattern of accounting, property tax innovation, removal of urban land ceiling and reduction of stamp duties, he added.

He said he is pleased that some of the initiatives taken by the Government for good governance are already considered best practices by other cities and adopted by them.

Industrial clusters

Underlining the growing importance of city-regions and industrial clusters, he said Raichur, Mangalore, Mysore and Manipal are witnessing different degrees of economic development and could benefit from clusters.

The Minister for Industries, P.G.R. Sindhia, said the State has set up two clusters in Bangalore with assistance from the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). He made a request for assistance to set up three more clusters, including a coir cluster in the city, an industrial machines cluster in Hubli and an automobile parts cluster in Shimoga.

Ajay Dua, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Union Commerce and Industry Ministry, said cities in the country contribute more than 70 per cent of the Gross Domestic Produce. "They act as important centres of productivity and social advancement, besides absorbing two-thirds of the population growth," he said.

As many as 128 delegates from seven countries will take part in the three-day conference organised by UNIDO, Union and State governments, Confederation of Indian Industry and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.