Process to label ‘Centres of Excellence’ begins
NEW DELHI: The Centre has initiated the process to designate 'Centres of Excellence' (CoEs) in urban design and planning, a scheme which was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in this year's Union Budget in February. The ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) has already finalised guidelines to identify institutions to be designated as the CoEs.
The selected institutions will be provided endowment funds of Rs 250 crores each. The last date for sending submission is October 30. According to the ministry, academic Institutes in India having a faculty of urban planning and urban design are eligible.
The CoEs are expected to make suitable institutional and organisational arrangements within their frameworks to maintain the highest standards of leadership in urban planning and design, develop high quality research and projects that improve urban planning outcomes. They will also foster industry academia, government and civil society partnerships, and ensure the delivery of certified training, said the guidelines.
The guidelines also say that as a ‘Centre of Excellence’, the Institute will aim to become an ‘Institute of International Repute’ in Urban Planning and Design and serve as an interdisciplinary platform in the field of urban planning, urban design, and allied fields.
A reputed urban planner will head the CoE. A team of experts, advisors, consultants and administrative staff will assist him. Sitharaman had announced that for developing India specific knowledge in urban planning and design, and to deliver certified training in these areas, five existing academic institutions in different regions will be designated as CoEs.
To steer the process of identifying and designating institutions as CoEs, a committee comprising officials from MoHUA, Department of Higher Education (Ministry of Education), NITI Aayog and leading domain experts was constituted. The committee set up a due process for the identification and subsequent designation of CoEs from amongst premier academic institutions.
The CoEs will also organise training and allow research opportunities for various government, non-government and private organisations to create an eco-system of well informed city decision makers.
The Centre is focusing on various measures for more planned development of cities.
This year’s budget spoke of better town planning, transit-oriented development, and modernising building bylaws, among other measures. “The five centres will be selected based on their work in these crucial areas and their experience in working on projects with government agencies,” an official said.
Hunt for institutes of repute
Centre has initiated the process to designate ‘Centres of Excellence’ (CoEs) in urban design and planning, a scheme which was announced by the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in this years’ Union Budget
Envisaged function of CoE
Maintain the highest standards of leadership in urban planning and design
Foster partnerships with urban local bodies, development authorities, state town and country planning organisations
Organise trainings and allow research opportunities
Provide technical support for all aspects of urban planning and design
Monitoring of the Functioning of CoEs
A framework of assessment will be developed to keep a check on the quality. MoHUA will be set up a monitoring mechanism at to ascertain the delivery by each institution
Endowment Funding
An endowment fund of Rs 250 crore will provided to each institution in one single chunk
The funds can be parked in a suitable investment option and the income generated out of its interest will be utilised to finance the activities at CoE
The endowment fund is expected to last for a period of 25 years, in which there will be a cap in utilisation of the principal amount for the first 20 years
The funds can be used for strengthening of infrastructure such as computers labs and remote sensing