On Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the media that the government intends to bring a paradigm transformation in urban planning in view of the fast urbanisation in the nation and declared the installation of a high-level expert panel for making suggestions on policy matters, capacity building and execution. By the time of India @ 100, about half the population is likely to be living in urban regions.To prepare for this, orderly urban growth is of vital importance. It will assist in realising the nation's economic potential, comprising livelihood opportunities for the demographic dividend. For this, the minister emphasised that there is a requirement to nurture the megacities and their hinterlands to become present centres of economic development. On the other hand, they need to boost tier two and three cities to take on the mantle in the future. It would require them to reimagine their cities into centres of sustainable living with opportunities for all, comprising women and youth. For this to happen, the finance minister said that urban planning cannot continue with a business-as-usual approach.They plan to steer a paradigm transformation. A high-level committee of reputed urban planners, urban economists and institutions will be created to suggest urban sector policies, capacity building, planning, execution and governance. For urban capacity building, Sitharaman said that the help will be rendered to the states. Modernisation of developing byelaws, Town Planning Schemes (TPS), and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) will be executed, she said, adding this would encourage reforms for people to live and work closer to mass transit systems. The Central Government's financial help for mass transit projects and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme will be leveraged, for the creation of action plans and their execution for facilitating TOD and TPS by the states. For building India-specific knowledge in urban planning and design, and to provide certified training in these regions, the finance minister said up to five existing academic institutions in various regions will be designated as centres of excellence. These centres will be rendered endowment funds of Rs 250 crore each. Additionally, she said that AICTE will result in enhancing syllabi, quality and access to urban planning courses in other institutions. Image Source Also read: Centre pushing smaller towns & cities to reform, using grants as incentive