IIMB to adopt Tumkur as public policy centre

This project will also be extended to Hubli and Mysore

  It will take up a series of studies as part of its centre for excellence programmes and also help in the implementation of several projects, notably in renewable energy and food safety.

The projects to be initiated include urban-rural integrated planning,  implementation of food safety standards, good agricultural practices, analysis of  urban governance and recommendations for improvement and introduction of renewable energy generation.

Besides, the centre will also undertake studies on the utility and design of rural kiosks and will also assist in data collection for a study on inheritance and property rights of women.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Prof Gopal Naik, chairperson of IIMB’s Centre for Public Policy (CPP) , said preliminary studies for several projects were already under way. “We have already completed preliminary studies on food safety, rural energy and rural kiosks, but we want to work on a continuous basis,” he said.

Naik said the date of commencement of these projects would be decided after a meeting with representatives from the State Government.

These projects are being done on a pilot basis with a view to extend them to other Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities such as Hubli and Mysore to help these towns and cities in “capacity building.”

While the urban-rural integrated planning project will focus on creating employment opportunities to stem rural migration and also address unsustainable urban growth, the implementation of the food safety standards will revolve around setting up necessary infrastructure, training needs and putting in place monitoring mechanisms.

Naik said the government and the minister in-charge for urban development and officials were positive about the projects and were open for further collaborations with the CPP.

Meanwhile, two villages in Gubbi taluk of Tumkur have been identified for the implementation of the good agricultural practices. Further, the centre will assist in the introduction of renewable energy such as solar powered energy generation in rural areas around Tumkur.

The CPP was set up in 2000 by the Government of India in partnership with the IIMB and the United Nations Development Programme.

It was recently designated by the Union Government as a centre of excellence in urban development and financial management.