HUDCO holds regional workshop on urban investment in Vizag
The Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO), a Navratna infrastructure finance company under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, organised its first regional workshop on the Urban Invest Window (UiWIN) in the city on Sunday.
The two-day programme aims to raise awareness about UiWIN. The mechanism will help Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and cities develop bankable and investment-ready infrastructure projects. Experts from NITI Aayog, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, NABFID, NIIF, and IFC joined the discussions. Representatives from several private financial institutions and banks also attended.
Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development P. Narayana attended the programme. Ongole MP Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Srinivas Katikithala, MAUD Principal Secretary S. Suresh Kumar, and HUDCO Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Kulshrestha were present.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Narayana said UiWIN will act as a one-stop platform for cities. It will help them plan and develop viable infrastructure projects. The platform will support the identification of bankable projects and the preparation of detailed project reports. It will also assist with feasibility studies, financial structuring, and credit ratings.
Cities can also get support to raise municipal bonds. Smaller ULBs can access pooled finance through the platform. The initiative will also help cities access multilateral and bilateral funding.
Mr. Narayana said HUDCO will convert its regional network into UiWIN state offices. These offices will provide technical assistance to cities. They will also support the creation and digitisation of municipal asset registers. Cities can use this data to design asset monetisation strategies.
Mr. Sreenivasulu Reddy said cities must manage municipal assets effectively. Many cities own valuable public assets such as land and infrastructure facilities. Proper identification and management of these assets can generate new revenue sources, he said.
Mr. Katikithala said several flagship initiatives launched by the Union government have reshaped the urban development sector. He noted that the ₹1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund aims to mobilise nearly ₹4 lakh crore for infrastructure investment.
HUDCO also signed MoUs with several state agencies during the programme. These partnerships aim to support the development of tier-2 cities. The workshop will feature more than 30 presentations. The sessions will focus on strengthening urban project pipelines and improving the financial viability of infrastructure projects.