Date:09/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/02/09/stories/2006020903501900.htm

Back Goa Chief Minister to inaugurate meet on urban space

Our Correspondent

Panaji , Feb. 8

THE Goa Chief Minister, Mr Pratapsingh Rane, will inaugurate IUSP-`06, a three-day conference that will deal with challenges of urban space relating to infrastructure, environment and governance on Thursday at Fort Aguada resorts in North Goa.

The conference, organised by National Institute of Urban Affairs in partnership with USAID, would analyse the growing pressure on space and explore solutions that go beyond "quick-fix" answers, said organisers.

The conference intends to bring stakeholders - government, policy experts, economists, environmental conservationists, media, planners and developers, infrastructure and financial players, NGO activists and citizens - to a common discussion table.

Participants in the conference include Mr Ramanath Jha, former Regional Advisor UN Habitat; Mr Sivaramakrishnan, chief architect of the 74th Constitutional Amendment; Prof. E.N. Rebeiro Director, AMDA and former Chief Planner at TCPO; Dr Renu Khosla, Director, CARE India; Mr Sharad Mahajan, Planner and Chief of Mashal; Mr Prasad Modak, Founder, EMC; Mr Nabaroon Bhattacharjee, USAID; and Ms Swati Ramanathan, Janaagraha.

The policy recommendations made at the conference would be presented as a report and will be sent to government at various levels across the country, said the organisers.