Visit to the India Urban Observatory, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs

October 4, 2023: Department of Journalism, Lady Shri Ram College for Women

In an attempt to understand public planning and urban policy, third-year students of Department of Journalism, Lady Shri Ram College visited the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, New Delhi. Twenty-five students were accompanied by the faculty of the department, Dr. Vartika Nanda and Dr. Violet Burman. Ms. Rashi and Ms. Grace were the assigned guides for the visit.

The journalism students had a sit-down session with Mr. Rajeev Jain, ADG of PIB, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. He briefed them on various projects undertaken by the Ministry, with a major emphasis on the Smart Cities Mission and housing projects around the country.

(Students and faculty of the Department of Journalism with ADG of PIB, Mr. Rajiv Jain)

It was an interactive meeting, with students enthusiastically asking questions about traffic management, housing, sustainable transportation alternatives, encroachment, waste management and other topics. They also discussed various missions and analysed their pros and cons.

The students were then escorted to the India Urban Observatory and introduced to the team behind the Smart Cities Mission. A descriptive presentation followed on the agency's vision, structure, function and projects. The presentation included data-intensive facts and visuals about several successful city projects, such as Coimbatore, Indore, Vishakhapatnam, and Kohima. They were also informed about internship and fellowship programs promoted by the Ministry to foster youth leadership and maximise participation. The role of ICCCs during the pandemic was also discussed at length.

The visit ended with a quick question-and-answer session where the final-year students actively inquired about various themes, such as the challenges faced by the mission, the process of resource allocation to cities, alternative problem-solving mechanisms and the criteria for selection as a smart city.

The department excursion achieved its goal as the in-depth discussions and insights helped expose the batch to urban planning and management.

(Batch of 2024 participating in an insightful discussion on Smart Cities Mission)

(This report is compiled for VN ki Paathshala, a platform dedicated to inspiring and educating the students of journalism. )

Website: VN ki Paathshala – Vartika Nanda

VN ki Paathshala Blog: https://vartikananda.blogspot.com/

By:

Ananya Nair and Ananya Sharma

Batch of 2024

Department of Journalism