Bhubaneswar, 23.02.23 ( Pratyusha Bureau): 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 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 balance view on urban development and environment protection towards sustainable development.” He has also mentioned that migration due to push factor of large towns and metropolitan region attracts people and that is why development of small and medium town would not only reduce the in migration but also develop Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns. All these issues will be discussed and deliberated in threadbare in this three days conference. 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’, ‘Innovative Approaches to Planning Education’ will be held. An exhibi on the theme ‘Challenges for Urban and Regional Planning to Achieve Sustainable Development’ is being organized during the Conference, which will provide an opportunity to various stakeholders to showcase their efforts and success stories specifically of smart cities. Established in 1951, ITPI earlier has hold the conference at Bhubaneswar in 1966-67, 1988- 1989 and 1998 1999. Among others Dr L P Patnaik, vice president ITPI and chairman, 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 it’s role and is totally committed to foster town and country planning profession and advance town and country planning education in the Country. ITPI functions through 24 Regional Chapters, located mostly in the State Capitals, including Odisha Regional Chapter, which is one of the most dynamic and vibrant Regional Chapter. To achieve it’s 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, educationist, researchers and allied professionals, from government, public, corporate, cooperative and private sectors to discuss latest developments and technological novations in the 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 the urban and regional planning and development.
