India CSR News Network
NEW DELHI: Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Jt. Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Poverty Alleviation Government of India, Praveen Prakash (Joint Secretary and Mission Director – Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Urban), Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India and Renu Sud Karnad, Managing Director, HDFC Ltd. and over 70 other experts will be discussing India’s housing and sanitation challenges during the 6th Asia Pacific Housing Forum to be held at New Delhi from 4th – 7th July 2017.
Prior to the forum, Habitat for Humanity India in collaboration with the National Housing Bank (NHB) and the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania will organize an International Housing Finance Course in New Delhi on the 4th and 5th of July, 2017. Organized by Habitat for Humanity India the Asia Pacific Housing Forum engages stakeholders including the government, corporate, financial, social development and private sector in seeking solutions to poverty housing and sanitation issues and urban development.
The theme for the forum is ‘Housing at the Center’. The event will also announce the establishment of the “Housing for All Coalition of India” to jointly work on addressing poverty housing in India.
Asia Pacific Housing Forum is an international sector conference hosting similar forums across various countries in the Asia Pacific region to promote affordable housing and sanitation wellbeing as drivers of economic growth. The national forum in India is one in a series of meetings leading up to the biennial 6th Asia-Pacific Housing Forum in Hong Kong from 4th -7th September 2017. Other country forums will be held in Phnom Penh (Cambodia); Manila (Philippines) and Jakarta (Indonesia).
The Asia Pacific Housing Forum 6 supports the national flagship program of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and calls upon the government, the development sector practitioners and the corporate world to come together to find actionable solutions.
“Stable housing is foundational to building a better life. A decent home opens the door to improved health, better performance in school, greater economic opportunities and increased community cohesion. India faces a huge housing shortage both in rural and urban areas. Through the mission of Housing For All by 2022 and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the Government of India is addressing the housing and sanitation concerns that our country is facing. It is Habitat for Humanity’s vision to build a better India where everyone has a decent place to live. The 6th Asia Pacific Housing Forum is an effort to bring the experts and practitioners together in order to realise this vision.” said Rajan Samuel, Managing Director, Habitat for Humanity India.
Samuel further added, “Just imagine what India would look like in 2022 when every family has a decent place to live. Housing is an economic engine for low income families as it plays a vital role in the growth and development of the family, the community and of the country. With our help, families can achieve the strength, stability and self–reliance they need to build a better life for themselves and their families.”
At the previous housing forum in September 2015, held simultaneously in New Delhi (India), the Philippines and Hong Kong, the recommendations of the Delhi conference contributed to ensuring that a focus on housing remained in the New Urban Agenda released at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in October 2016.
The housing forum this year will help articulate practical ways forward to execute the New Urban Agenda and align other initiatives that focus on housing as a central element for sound urban development.
Close to 70 speakers, moderators and delegates will exchange ideas and best practices on:
- Financing Affordable Housing in India
- Sanitation Well-being and ODF++
- Disaster Response and Preparedness
- Sustainable Urban Development
Rajiv Ranjan Mishra (Joint Secretary – Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India), Praveen Prakash (Joint Secretary and Mission Director – Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Urban), Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India), Dr. Kulwant Singh (Chief Executive Office, 3R Waste Foundation), Kamal Kar (Founder – CLTS Foundation), Mr. Ajay Suri (Regional Advisor Asia – Cities Alliance), Rakesh Israni (Director – Avaas by Nebula), Mr. Kirtee Shah (Chairman – KSA Design Planning Services), Richard Northcote (Chief Sustainability Officer – Covestro (India) Private Limited), Mihir Bhatt (Director – All India Disaster Mitigation Institute), Dr. Meera Mehta (Professor Emeritus, Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology) and Sanjay Nayar (Chief Executive Officer, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co) are some of the experts in the field of housing, sanitation, governance, academics, finance and real estate who will present their views at the Asia Pacific Housing Forum 6.
Asia Pacific Housing Forum 6 is supported by the Aditya Birla Group, Aavaas by Nebula, Covestro (India) Private Limited and HDFC Ltd.
