Foundation stone laid for UII

Union Minister for Urban Development, Kamal Nath and the Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA), Dr GirijaVyas, laid the foundation stone for the Urban Institute of India (UII).

The UII, under HUPA, is proposed as an apex national level institution, to facilitate inclusive and sustainable urban development and provide effective capacity building in the urban sector. The Institute would be an autonomous, not–for–profit institution, registered under the Societies Registration Act and would be partly funded by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation through the allocations under Rajiv Awaas Yojana (RAY).

Mc Kinsey, which is a leading global firm and has a pre-eminent position in urban advisory services, would be the knowledge partner for this institute. The institute with specialised verticals, specifically dealing with different urban sector domains, will aim to get the best in class faculty both national and international, supported by the most competent researchers and support professionals.

This institute, will conduct high quality research on relevant and contemporary urban issues and policies, design, and implementation and engage in systematically creating and disseminating standards and best practices to all tiers of government, support existing institutions like State Administrative Training Institutes and National Network of Resource Centres (NNRCs) and build synergies with other government programmes and will create  a platform for collaboration between The governments, private sector, civil society and academia  in urban management.

The institute would be set up on fast track mode and would be the first institute for the HUPA and the first of its kind institute in the country.