Integrated urban infrastructure development in Asia / edited by Kulwant Singh and Florian Steinberg and Nathaniel Von Einsiedel

There is an increasing awareness that the potential role of the urban sector in macro economic development can be made more effective through appropriate investments in infrastructure. The magnitude of investment required to meet the backlog of urban infrastructure across many countries is so high that it is just not possible to meet this backlog through normal budgetary allocations. It will require not only stimulation of local revenue and a manifold increase in the flow of loan finance, but also innovative schemes of resource mobilization involving the private business sector.

Many decentralization initiatives in Asia come at a time when the new economic policies demand improved capabilities for urban and financial management at local levels of governments, supported by sub-national and central level institutions. Civic bodies and municipalities need to improve and strengthen their governance, for which they are very badly lacking capacity, skills and legal basis. Their roles at the same time are becoming more complex and wide-ranging in response to new approaches in service provision, public-private partnerships, public participation in decision making, and development of models for infrastructure development based on collaboration with the private sector.

The main notion of this book is that "integration" will contribute positively to the provision and management of urban infrastructure services. This integration" has been attempted in a number of Asian countries. However, to achieve sustainable urban development" it will require a definite acceleration and wide expansion of infrastructure development. The management of infrastructure programmes will need to follow the principles of "cost recovery","replicability" and "affordability" in order to reach out to all classes of society.

The book looks at the future of integrated urban infrastructure development. It is highlighted that short-term planning cannot stand alone anymore. The complexities and long-range needs of our cities today require more medium-term planning tools for technical, social and economic development. Multi-sectoral investment programmes shall be built on consensus of all important urban state holders (public and private sector, Non-Governmen tal Organizations and the community) and be based on participatory planning at decentral ized levels. Although the various schemes discussed in this book have their own objec tives, targets, financial modalities, components, procedures and schedules, we need to aim at the integration of these at city levels.