Pune: The New York-based Rockefeller Foundation (100RC) has selected the city as one of the 100 Resilient Cities.

The selection will help Pune gain access to tools, funding, technical expertise and other resources to build resilience to challenges including transport system, lack of affordable housing, water management and air pollution among others.
Mayor Prashant Jagtap told journalists that Pune's entry into the 100RC Network will help Pune fight the resilience challenges of civic issues and improve quality of life. "This move will benefit Pune in the long term," said Jagtap, following the announcement on Wednesday.

The Rockefeller Foundation is building network of cities across the world as the number of people living in urban areas will grow from 50% today to an estimated 70% in 2050. Cities around the world face huge deficits in preparedness for rapid growth and natural and man-made disasters. Pune is joining an elite international group proactively preparing to face any challenge ahead.

Municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar said, "Joining the 100 Resilient Network is an honour for Pune city. It will give us the tools required to support a better Pune today, tomorrow and for future generations. Our application recognized Pune's commitment to improve public transport facility, equitable water distribution to citizens and improve environmental health of the city."

As a new member of 100 Resilient Cities, Pune can work with the best in the private, government and non-profit sectors in developing and sharing tools to plan to and respond to the resilience challenges ahead.

"We are so proud to welcome Pune to 100 Resilient Cities. We selected Pune because of its leaders' commitment to resilience building and the innovative and proactive way they've been thinking about the challenges the city faces. We're excited to get to work," 100RC President Michael Berkowitz said.

The competition was tough, spanning across 90 countries across six continents. Pune was chosen from more than 325 applicants on the basis of their willingness, ability, and need to become resilient in the face of future challenges.

The application process showed each city's unique vision for resilience, a long-term commitment to building resilience in a way that connects silos of government and sectors of society, and specific attention to the needs of poor and vulnerable citizens. Applicant cities also demonstrated the willingness to be leaders in urban resilience, sharing learning experiences and becoming a model for other cities across the globe.

The member cities were selected upon the recommendation of distinguished judges from around the world. Each new network member will gain access to a variety of 100RC Platform Partners in the private, public, academic, government, and non-profit sectors.

Partners offer tools and services valued at over $180 million USD at no direct cost to 100RC members, in areas such as innovative finance, technology, infrastructure, land use, and community and social resilience. The cities will be linked together in a global network so they can learn from each other's challenges and successes.
 

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 26th May 2016

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