KTR launches Green Space Index programme for ULBs

Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K T Rama Rao launched ‘Green Space Index’ for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) here on Sunday. The objective is to promote plantation, develop parks and also take up other activities to improve green cover in urban areas.

The new Green Space Index programme will be implemented as per the guidelines formulated by the Union Ministries of Housing and Urban Affairs on green cover and open spaces in urban areas. Best performing ULBs will be presented with awards every year under the programme, to encourage competition among ULBs to promote greenery. 

The programme is intended to be implemented for the next four years starting this year, and increase green cover in all ULBs to meet the needs of citizens.

Speaking on the occasion, Rama Rao said Telangana has been in the forefront in implementing such innovative initiatives aimed at increasing necessary green cover in urban areas and thus, improving the living standards of the urban population. He said the State government was already implementing massive plantation programmes like



Haritha Haaram across the State including ULBs.

“The programme will focus on development of parks, innovative designs in plantation, increasing roadside greenery and distribution of plants to households. To assess the current green cover for the programme, the authorities will use GIS mapping, satellite imagery, photography, videography and geo-tagging to record and re-evaluate the extent to which cities have increased their green cover over the next one year,” he said.

Further, the Minister explained that the best municipalities will be selected by giving 85 per cent weightage to the total green cover of the respective ULB, another five per cent to innovative methods adopted in increasing green cover, and another ten per cent to the impressive plantation with different designs. 

Apart from presenting the overall best performing municipality award, awards also will be given in other categories such as largest urban green space, best distribution of urban green space, urban green space per capita, roadside plantation, he added.