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THEME PAPER
Green Growth and ensure overall national • SDG 13: Climate Action
Sustainable Development progress. By 2030, it is involves taking urgent
“Green growth” refers to projected that 40% of India’s action to combat climate
the promotion of economic population will reside in change and its impacts.
expansion while ensuring urban areas, contributing Urban housing contributes
natural resources continue to significantly to the to this through the
provide crucial environmental country’s GDP. However, adoption of sustainable
protection This growth has rapid urbanisation construction practices
been fuelled by economic poses challenges in and the integration of
liberalisation, market managing infrastructure renewable energy sources
orientation, and increased and delivering services which reduce the carbon
private capital, positioning effectively. footprint of urban centre’s.
India for sustained and robust India’s urban development is 1.2 Urbanisation and
growth in the coming years. closely tied to the Sustainable Infrastructure Development
By 2030, it is projected that
40% of India’s population
will reside in urban areas,
contributing significantly to
the country’s GDP. However,
rapid urbanisation poses
challenges in managing
infrastructure and delivering
services effectively.
The Smart Cities Mission
is a key initiative aimed at
addressing these challenges
efficiently. As of February
Figure 1 Benefits of Sustainable infrastructure 2024, 6,753 projects out of
a total of 7,991 have been
• Newly-intr oduced Development Goals,
initiatives in the Union particularly: completed under the Smart
Cities Mission, showcasing
Budget for greening the tangible progress. Moreover,
system, under the ‘Green • SDG 11: Sustainable India has made significant
Growth’ priority, and Cities and Communities strides in digital infrastructure
recent announcements, aims to make cities development, with rural
including INR 350 inclusive, safe, resilient, areas expected to contribute
billion of priority capital and sustainable. India’s significantly to new internet
investments directed to efforts through PMAY and user growth, with around 56%
the net zero transition and the Smart Cities Mission of total new internet users
energy security, can help are direct contributions coming from rural India by
India pursue – its sustained to achieving SDG 11, 2025, according to a report by
economic growth and aiming to enhance the TransUnion CIBIL. This trend
expansion. quality of urban housing underscores the increasing
and infrastructure while
• The development of both ensuring accessibility for connectivity between rural
urban and rural areas to all. and urban regions in the
country.
April, 2025, Volume 26. No.1 - SHELTER 19
