Towards data-driven planning in Rajasthan

The Rajasthan Urban Infrastructure Development Project was designed to respond to the lagging urban development in India. Economic growth had stimulated urbanization but commensurate investment in urban infrastructure and services was not forthcoming. This lag resulted in the deterioration of the quality of life and people faced severe social and public health problems. The poor, women, and children were especially disadvantaged. The situation is expected to worsen at an accelerating pace unless extensive urban renewal was undertaken. Comprehensive policy, institutional reforms, and capacity building were needed to arrest this deterioration, along with the provision of expanded infrastructure and services in almost every aspect of urban development, such as water, sanitation, sewage, solid waste management, roads, hospitals, protection of historic sites, and others. As part of the project, researchers from the Future Cities Laboratory Global programme are collaborating with the Government of Rajasthan, India on capacity-building for data-driven integrated planning to enhance the potential of the state's famously heritage-rich cities. Funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the initiative took the form of a series of workshops conducted in the cities of Jaipur and Bharatpur between 27-31 May.