Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday expressed concern over 'harsh urban realities' adversely affecting 'brain development and perspectives' of young children, particularly of the poor during their early childhood.
Naidu urged urban planners, architects and all stakeholders to create an enabling environment for children for their all round development at a two-day conference on 'Building Smart Child Friendly Cities in India for 21st Century'.
Noting that urban planning in the country aimed at general objectives like infrastructure development, sanitation including solid waste management, Naidu said the time had come for city master plans to incorporate specific chapters to meet the needs of young children.
He stressed on the need for providing adequate open spaces and play centres to nurture creative faculties of children. He said that 'inclusive and children sensitive' urban development strategies were the need of the hour.
The minister observed that deficient urban planning leads to adverse impact on children, particularly of the poor.
Naidu also expressed concern over disproportionate appropriation of urban space and opportunities by the rich at the cost of the poor and the same needed to be addressed to all stages of urban planning and execution.
He said that of the 158 million children in the country, about 41 million live in urban areas and eight million in slums.
