GURUGRAM, July 5 — Union Minister for Power, Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday urged urban local bodies (ULBs) across India to conduct formal House sessions modeled on the functioning of Parliament and state legislatures. The structured approach, he said, would foster greater transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in local governance.
“Just as the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas conduct proceedings chaired by an elected Speaker, urban local bodies should also hold formal House sessions led by a presiding officer,” Khattar said, addressing a national conference of ULB chairpersons in Gurugram. “This system will help build a transparent and accountable model of governance at the urban level.”
The conference, chaired by Khattar, marked the first of its kind at such a scale, bringing together ULB representatives from across the country. Describing the event as a “milestone in capacity building,” Khattar called for such forums to be institutionalised to enable sharing of best practices and challenges among civic leaders.
The Minister also advocated the use of digital platforms to broaden public participation in city planning and governance. “Wider engagement will empower more people to contribute and help transform the face of our cities,” he said.
Echoing Khattar’s call for deeper civic engagement, Haryana Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker Dr. Krishan Lal Midha said, “We must go beyond ‘smart cities’ and work towards building cities that are capable, inclusive and sustainable. Only then can the dream of a ‘Developed India’ become a lived reality.”
Madhya Pradesh Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya also emphasized community involvement in local governance. “Public participation must become a mass movement to ensure the success of civic planning,” he said.
Khattar further highlighted the need for sustainable urban growth, urging ULBs to prioritise environmental protection alongside development. He advocated for e-mobility and integrated traffic solutions, underscoring India’s rapid progress in expanding metro infrastructure.
“Metro rail services in India began much later than in the US, where they have existed for over 150 years. Yet today, we’ve built a network spanning 1,000 kilometres across 21 cities — on par with the US,” Khattar noted.
Looking ahead, he announced that under the Centre’s Urban Challenge Fund, ₹1 lakh crore has been earmarked for redevelopment initiatives aimed at modernising and greening Indian cities.
