GS 2 – GOVERNANCE
Context:
Kerala has set up India’s first State-level Urban Policy Commission (KUPC) in December 2023 to address the growing challenges of rapid urbanisation, especially in the unique rural-urban continuum that Kerala presents. The commission submitted its report in March 2025.
WHY IN NEWS?
- Kerala is urbanising at a rapid pace, with over half its population in urban areas, despite a largely rural and village-based settlement pattern.
- The KUPC Report 2025 proposes a comprehensive urban transformation roadmap:
- Data revolution
- Governance recalibration
- Identity revival
- Finance empowerment
What is KUPC?
- Kerala Urban Policy Commission = First State-level urban commission.
- A 360° urban vision plan: inclusive, ecological, climate-resilient, and locally rooted.
- Combines climate resilience, urban commons, financial innovation, and local empowerment.