Overview

• Kerala opened a two-day Urban Conclave in Kochi to finalise a statewide urban policy informed by a commission of experts.
• Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar assured full central cooperation for the Regional Rapid Transit System once the state submits the DPR.
• State officials at the conclave indicated the RRTS report is nearing completion and likely to be submitted soon.
• Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan cited economic and social targets, noting IT exports nearing ₹1 lakh crore, a 21-fold rise in start-ups over nine years, and a pledge to declare Kerala free of extreme poverty by Kerala Piravi Day.
• A representative from South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal said a pact with Kerala to exchange expertise on climate-resilient urban infrastructure is expected to be finalised shortly.