National Institute of Urban Management in Hyderabad

A National Institute of Urban Management is proposed to be set up in Hyderabad by the end of this year to meet capacity building requirements of urban local bodies across the country.

It is expected to be the premier institute in the country provide training facilities to all the stakeholders of municipalities and corporations.

The institute will also identify the problems and solutions of civic bodies to improve the quality of life of urban residents. The State government, which proposed the establishment of the institute, has allocated 20 acres of prime land in Khanamet village of Serlingampally Mandal for it.

The World Bank, which had sanctioned about Rs.1,670 crore for the Andhra Pradesh Municipal Development Project (APMDP), favoured establishment of the urban institute as it found that many local bodies were unable to utilise funds sanctioned by the World Bank as they lacked expertise to execute the projects.

Welcoming the State government''s initiative, Songsu Choi, Lead Urban Economist of South Asia Region of the World Bank, said that the institute would provide training in a professional way to all the elected representatives and officials. “The institute can also cater to the needs of other States,” he said while speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of a workshop on the Municipal Development Project organised here on Wednesday.

Pushpa Subrahmanyam, Secretary, Municipal Administration, said funds allocated by the World Bank would be spent on improvement of urban infrastructure, particularly drinking water supply in 13 local bodies.“We have selected these local bodies since they were not sanctioned funds under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. The government has already identified the works and begun the tender process ,” she added.