New Delhi, Dec 24: The third regional meeting of Urban Development Ministers took place in Bhopal on December 20, 2025, chaired by Union Minister Manohar Lal.
This meeting followed a national consultation on July 17, 2025, focusing on urban development challenges and opportunities. Attendees included Chief Ministers and senior officials from North-Central States such as Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
Manohar Lal stated that “India will be Viksit@2047” and introduced the Swachh Survekshan 2025–26 toolkit alongside seven IT platforms to enhance citizen service delivery. The meeting reviewed progress under key missions:
- Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U): Emphasis was placed on political and administrative leadership’s role in adopting dumpsites under the Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP) and ensuring timely execution of action plans under Swachh Shehar Jodi (SSJ).
- Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT): Ministers were urged to improve urban water and sanitation infrastructure, enhance coordination, and accelerate project execution to achieve saturation in tap water supply and sewerage.
- Housing for All Mission: The completion of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) houses was highlighted, along with the continuation of the Angikaar campaign to assist beneficiaries in obtaining home loans.
Discussion topics included the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme and transportation network densification.
The collaborative approach of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) was praised, and plans for further regional meetings to promote urban reform were discussed. The meeting concluded with the flagging off of a new metro line, with the Union Minister and the Chief Minister taking a metro ride.
