I        Introduction
1.1.         Economic development and urbanisation are closely linked. Cities in India are emerging as the country’s engines of economic growth, with a contribution of more than 60 per cent to GDP. India’s urban population is now 377 million (Census of India, 2011). This represents a 31 per cent increase from 2001 when urban population was 286 million.

Pune, Jan 25, 2012: Open defecation is one of the reasons why Pune has been rated 'black' on sanitation front by the Union urban development ministry. As per the guidelines of the Union government's National Urban Sanitation Policy 2012, the city needs to be free from open defecation by December 31.

Chennai, Jan. 23, 2012: The UN Habitat is pushing for a new urban development agenda focussed on economic and environmental sustainability and inclusive growth, according to Mr Andre Dzikus, Chief, Water and Sanitation Section, UN Habitat.

Islamabad, Dec 18, 2011: Despite considering the increasing water shortage as a vital issue for Pakistan, the most vocal provincial political leadership on water issues shows no sign of seriousness to tackle the tough future challenges as the irrigation bureaucracy dominates the water scene.

This has been revealed in a joint study of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government after consultations with the provincial chief ministers as part of a process spearheaded by the water sector task force constituted by the Friends of Democratic Pakistan.

New Delhi, Dec 13, 2011: The Government of India is considering creating a corpus fund of Rs.1,000 crore ($18.7 million) in the current fiscal that would encourage banks to give housing loans in 'significant volumes' to the urban poor, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Tuesday.

Addressing a conference on the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) here, Manmohan Singh said the corpus of Rs.1,000 would be set aside to create a credit risk guarantee fund that could be used to cover any bank losses.

New Delhi, Dec 14, 2011:  Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the National Conference of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission in New Delhi. The National Conference was organised on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

The provision of sanitation services in low-income urban areas is one of the greatest challenges in development. Population growth in developing countries currently outpaces sanitation growth, especially in urban areas.

New Delhi, DSec 6, 2011: A mere additional spending of 0.25 per cent of India’s GDP over the next 20 years is enough to provide drinking water, sanitation and sewage to all 8,000-plus towns and cities in the country. India’s GDP is presently surging towards $2 trillion mark.

This is what is claimed by Aromar Revi, the director of the newly set up Indian Institute of Human Settlements, a non-profit making Bangalore-based organisation promoted, among others, by Nandan Nilekani, Deepak Parikh,

The National Mission for Sustainable Habitat was approved by the Prime Minister's Council for Climate Change in June 2010. (Report Publication Date: 1st Nov 2011). One of the deliverables of the Mission is the formulation of National Sustainable Habitat Standards. It is intended that these standards would subsequently get integrated with relevant regulations to ensure that future developments are aligned in accordance with concerns related to climate change.

Nov 10, 2011: The 2011 census estimates reveal that for the first time since Independence, the absolute increase in population was higher in urban areas than in rural areas. This is owing to migration, the natural increase in urban population and the inclusion of new areas under the urban category.