Will ensure children's role in urban plans: Venkaiah

We don’t have adequate drinking water. We live under unhygienic circumstances as the MCD does not come and clean garbage dumps on time. We want to live in a clean environment and it’s our right,” said Kajal Khurrana, a resident of sector 16 in Narela.

Like Kajal many teenagers voiced their concerns and gave suggestions for building smart children-friendly cities at a national conference — ‘Small Children, Big Cities’ on Friday.

The seminar aimed at harnessing mechanisms to plan and implement child-friendly cities through urban mission and the latest ‘Smart Cities’ initiative of the Union government. It was conducted by private philanthropy organisation, Bernard van Leer Foundation with National Institute of Urban Affairs and Ministry of Urban Development.

Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu said, “India has the largest number of young children in the world – 158 million – making us one of the youngest nation and giving us immense demographic edge over others. We can be not only the largest nation with children but also greatest nation, if we provide the right environment to our children to grow and develop.”

“We have also committed to develop 100 smart cities. These smart cities will have all the basic amenities, IT-enabled and inclusive to the needs of children, women, elderly and other disadvantaged groups. We will ensure the interest of children are in the core of our plans and designs,” he added.

A 15-year-old from Bhubaneswar said town planners should take their perspectives. “ I want better roads, clean water to drink, better housing facilities among others. On behalf of my child club I want to stand for the cause of safe and healthy living conditions for children. I want to make India believe us,” said Rupak Gouda.

To be a world leader, India needs to lead and show the way how a nation with 1.2 billion people, 7,935 towns and 6166 urban agglomerations can be sensitive to children’s issues, reduce morbidity and mortality rates, said the Urban Development Minister.

“I strongly believe that anything that is good for children, is good for the entire society and nation.”

The outcomes of these discussions will be an advisory ‘Road Map’ to create smart child-friendly cities in India.