Final report of Kerala Urban Policy Commission submitted to CM

Thiruvananthapuram, The Kerala Urban Policy Commission, constituted to formulate a State Urban Policy to tackle the challenges of rapid urbanisation, has submitted its final report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh announced on Sunday.

Speaking to the media, Rajesh claimed that Kerala is the first state in the country to appoint such a commission.

"The government aims to address the challenges posed by rapid urbanisation while also viewing it as an opportunity for growth," he said.

The commission conducted 33 studies and held 53 stakeholder meetings across 14 districts of the state, engaging in extensive consultations with various sections of society.

According to the minister, over 2,500 representatives from different organisations were consulted as part of the process.

Rajesh added that the commission had submitted an interim report in December 2024, and some of its recommendations—such as establishing Metropolitan Planning Committees in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, and Kozhikode, as well as issuing municipal bonds—were incorporated into the recent State Budget.

With the final report now submitted, the government will discuss and decide on its adoption, he said.

"This is an important milestone in the development history of Kerala as this report will provide insights for formulating development strategies for the state for the coming 25 years, especially in the context of rapid urbanisation along with climate change," he said.

The state government constituted the Kerala Urban Policy Commission in December 2023 to frame a comprehensive urban policy for the state in the context of increasing urbanisation that is far above the national average.

According to the estimation of KUPC, above 80 per cent people of Kerala will be urban by 2050.

The report highlights city-specific recommendations based on regional strengths, including the development of Thrissur-Kochi as Kerala’s FinTech Hub, Palakkad and Kasaragod as Industrial Smart Cities, and the Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam Knowledge Corridor to promote research and innovation. Additionally, Kannur is proposed to be promoted as a Fashion City, while Kannur-Kasaragod and Thrissur-Ernakulam are suggested as Edu-Health Hubs. Kozhikode is recommended to be branded as the “City of Literature,” leveraging its rich literary heritage.

Other key recommendations include developing a risk-informed master plan at the local level to integrate climate resilience into urban planning and launching the 'Jnanashree Programme', which aims to provide sustained technical support to institutions across various domains—technology, planning, management, finance, and legal affairs—at all levels of administration, modelled after 'Kudumbashree', according to an official release.

Additionally, the report emphasises the need to transform state universities into globally competitive centres for research and innovation.

The report recommends the establishment of a state-level Digital Data Observatory, integrating existing spatial datasets from national and state institutions, along with the introduction of a targeted green fee on urban development projects to fund disaster risk reduction initiatives, including resilient infrastructure and emergency response systems, according to an official release.

Another major proposal is the creation of a Climate Finance Advisory Cell at the state-level to assist local governments in accessing green funds, carbon financing, and international climate adaptation resources, ensuring efficient allocation for mitigation and resilience-building efforts.

Additionally, it recommends the development of eco-industrial parks powered by renewable energy for industries such as electronics, gems and jewellery, agro-based food processing, spices, and cashew processing.

The report also advocates the formation of MSME clusters such as the Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam Cluster, Kochi-Thrissur Cluster, and Kozhikode-Kannur Cluster to foster small and medium enterprises.

Other key recommendations include the deployment of decentralised wastewater treatment systems, regulation of septic systems, traffic and transport surveys, mobility planning, heritage and eco-resource listing, preservation of open spaces, development of smart and sustainable tourism infrastructure, and initiatives to preserve and promote Kerala’s handicrafts and creative economy.

The Commission was headed by M Satheesh Kumar, Belfast University, UK. Commission members include E Narayanan, Kochi Mayor M Anil Kumar, Sharmila Mary Joseph, Vyn Krishnamurthy, V Suresh, K S James, Hitesh Vaidya, Janaki Nair, S Asok Kumar and Tikender Singh Panwar.

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