Tag: D Thara

InfrastructureLatest Stories

₹31,000 Crore Approved for Urban Challenge Fund: MoHUA

NEW DELHI: The Urban Challenge Fund has approved projects worth ₹31,000 crore within just 20-25 days after finalizing its guidelines, according to D Thara, additional secretary at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. At a FICCI conference, Thara noted that 44% of the funding for the approved projects is sourced from non-banking financial companies, while public-private partnerships contribute 22%. Bonds represent 5-7% of the financing, with commercial banks providing the remainder. Sanjay Kulshrestha, chairman and managing director of HUDCO, emphasized that cities contribute 60-70% of India’s GDP while occupying only about 3% of its land. He highlighted that the…

IndustryLatest Stories

Urbanization should prioritize livability, not just housing: MoHUA

NEW DELHI: D Thara, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, stated that urbanization needs to prioritize enhancing the quality of living rather than merely focusing on housing. Thara emphasized the necessity to “reimagine urbanization” through a tailored approach, rather than just addressing housing supply. “We must shift our perspective on land and embrace a new paradigm,” she remarked. As urbanization is anticipated to accelerate significantly—equaling the scale of the last century within twenty years—she underlined the importance of harmonizing urban growth with the protection of rural and agricultural land. “We need to systematically densify,” she added.…