BHUBANESWAR: The state government is taking steps to make urban infrastructure development inclusive for children and youth, said Housing and Urban Development minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra here on Saturday.
Addressing ‘UDDIPAAN - The Future is OURS! Adolescents Co-Designing Smarter Cities’ event, organised by Humara Bachpan Trust (HBT) in partnership with WRI India, Mahapatra said the state government is committed to youth-inclusive urban development. “Adolescents are not just users of the city, they are co-creators of it. Their observations and assessments help us understand how public spaces affect health, safety, inclusion and wellbeing,” he said.
Mahapatra underlined the city’s evolving public space reforms and infrastructure investments such as child-friendly components in city public places, recreational infrastructure inclusive for children with disabilities and affordable housing projects for economically weaker sections.
BMC commissioner and BDA VC Chanchal Rana emphasised adolescent involvement in urban governance and said, “they must not only be acknowledged as beneficiaries but as co-designers and civic participants. Their experiences provide insights that no planning document can produce”. The event culminated with release of a White Paper “Reimagining Cities with and for Adolescents”.
HBT founder chairperson Dharitri Patnaik said the Trust is committed to creating safe, healthy and inclusive environments where children, adolescents and women can thrive with dignity.