India Champions Inclusive Urbanization and Global South Solidarity at UNGA: MP Prof. Sikander Kumar Addresses the 81st Session in New York

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EW YORK: Representing 1.4 billion citizens of the world’s most populous democracy at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament from Himachal Pradesh, Prof. Sikander Kumar, delivered an impactful address on the New Urban Agenda and the imperative support needed for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs). Highlighting India's transformative grassroots governance, Prof. Kumar underscored how flagship initiatives—including Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), AMRUT, Swachh Bharat Mission, and PM SVANidhi, backed by digital public infrastructure—have redefined affordable housing, basic services, and public delivery systems. Underscoring India’s steadfast commitment to South-South cooperation, he emphasized India’s tangible multilateral solidarity, comprising over $32 billion in lines of credit across 68 nations, more than 13,000 annual fully funded ITEC capacity-building slots, and the $150 million India-UN Development Partnership Fund spanning renewable energy, healthcare, and climate resilience. Prof. Kumar urged the global community to move beyond rhetoric and translate multilateral commitments into measurable, life-changing improvements on the ground for vulnerable nations, anchored firmly in mutual benefit and national ownership.