Bhubaneswar: Odisha state capital to host 71st National town and country planners conference from 24th-26th February 2023. Odisha CM Naveen Pattnaik will inaugurate this 3-day conference online, which will witness the congregation of over 400 delegates comprising Town planners of various states and Governing Council Members of the Institute of Town Planners India (ITPI) and educationists, researchers, and experts across the nation. ‘Challenges for Urban and Regional Planning towards Sustainable Development’ is the theme of this year’s conference.
Speaking about the conference, Institute of Town Planners India, President Prof. Dr. D. S. Meshram Said, “Town and country planners are specifically trained to take the balanced view on urban development and environmental protection towards sustainable development.” He has also mentioned that migration due to push factor of large towns and the metropolitan region attracts people and that is why the development of small and medium towns would not only reduce immigration but also develop Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns. All these issues will be discussed and deliberated in threadbare in these three days of conferences.
A local sub-theme ‘Experiences of Smart Cities Mission in Odisha’ would be deliberated during the conference. This apart, plenary sessions on other sub-themes like – ‘Small and Medium Towns: New Drivers of Development’, ‘Reforms in Urban Governance’, and ‘Innovative Approaches to Planning Education’ will be held.
An exhibition on the theme ‘Challenges for Urban and Regional Planning to Achieve Sustainable Development’ is being organized during the Conference, which will provide an opportunity for various stakeholders to showcase their efforts and success stories specifically of smart cities.
Established in 1951, ITPI earlier has held the conference at Bhubaneswar in 1966 – 67, 1988-1989, and 1998 – 1999. Among others, Dr. L P Patnaik, vice president of ITPI and chairman, of Odisha regional also spoke.
Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI), established in the year 1951, as an apex body of qualified Town Planners, has now over 8000 members on its role and is totally committed to fostering town and country planning profession and advancing town and country planning education in the Country. ITPI functions through 24 Regional Chapters, located mostly in the State Capitals, including the Odisha Regional Chapter, which is one of the most dynamic and vibrant Regional Chapters.
To achieve its objective, ITPI organizes every year National Town and Country Planners Conference, since its inception without any break. The conference provides an opportunity to state town planners, educationists, researchers, and allied professionals, from the government, public, corporate, cooperative, and private sectors to discuss the latest developments and technological innovations in urban and rural planning and development. Generally, over 400 delegates from different parts of the country and abroad, participate and presentations are made by the experts / eminent planners of the country, sharing success stories in urban and regional planning and development.