Stressing the need to go for a big push to fully realise the benefits of urbanisation, the government on Monday unveiled its urban development strategy for the next 20 years.

Union Minister for Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation M. Venkaiah Naidu released the "India Habitat III - National Report", ahead of the UN Habitat III Conference in Quito, Ecuador, slated for later this month. A global "New Urban Agenda" for the next 20 years is likely to be adopted at the conference.

Speaking at the launch ceremony in Vigyan Bhavan here, Naidu on Monday said: "The agenda for the next two decades proposed in the national report will be ensuring economic growth and productivity, improving quality of life, and importantly, addressing issues of inclusivity, sustainability and climate change."

The challenge is about ensuring sustainable development while taking advantage of economic growth that results from rapid urbanisation in the country, he said. ... The minister said that the outcomes of new urban agenda based on sustainable urban planning would include reducing water and electricity use by 50 per cent from that of normal use, enabling over 60 per cent of urban travel by public transport, generating half of power from renewable sources, and compact and cluster urban development, among others.