In India, about 377 million Indians comprising about 31 percent of the country’s population, live in urban areas. According to the Twelfth Five-Year Plan (2012-2017), urbanisation will be central to India’s strategy of achieving faster and more inclusive growth. With the rapid growth of the Indian economy in recent years, the rate of urbanization is expected to increase. Projections are that by 2031, about 600 million Indians will reside in urban areas, which would account for an increase of over 200 million in just 20 years.

Cities are the foci of development and economic growth providing opportunities for social equity, economic growth, and innovation. However, most cities, especially those in the developing world, face major challenges in the context of governance, financing, and equitable provision of urban services. In the present era of Smart Urban Governance, economic linkages are sought to be strengthened in urban areas by making cities more competitive and investor-friendly. In such a situation, equity concerns should also be recognized and addressed to ensure balanced development of the country.