Urban heat islands: urban planning is a State/ULB subject
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Housing and Urban Affairs told Parliament that urban planning sits with States and urban local bodies under the Twelfth Schedule. NDMA’s 2019 heat-wave guidelines ask cities to assess urban heat islands. Heat Action Plans exist in 23 States, 195 districts and 64 cities.
- Released
- 20 Jul 2026, MoHUA
- Constitution
- Twelfth Schedule: urban planning with States/ULBs
- NDMA guidelines
- 2019 National Guidelines on Heat Wave action plans
- HAPs
- 23 States, 195 districts, 64 cities
- Workers advisory
- NDMA advisory on protecting informal workers in heatwaves
Mitigating urban heat islands: what happened?
Cities trap heat in concrete and sparse shade. Centre cannot run city plans, but it issues guidelines, advisories and scheme support. Heat Action Plans are the main local tool named here.
- NDMA advisory urges shaded vending zones, hydration, cooling centres, flexible hours and heat alerts for street vendors and outdoor workers.
- Delhi’s SAPCC 2.0 revision includes a climate vulnerability assessment using IMD data (as reported by NCT of Delhi).
What should HAPs cover?
- Vulnerable assessments of factors behind the urban heat island effect and mitigation steps, per NDMA 2019 guidelines.
Who controls urban planning?
- Twelfth Schedule of the Constitution lists urban planning among subjects for municipalities.
- States and ULBs / urban development authorities plan at city level; the Centre supplements with schemes, advisories and finance.
Why does mitigating urban heat islands matter?
| Angle | What to note |
|---|---|
| Federalism | City heat is a State/ULB lead with central guidance. |
| Disaster | Heat Action Plans as the operational tool. |
| Labour | Informal workers need shade, water and flexible hours. |
What are the challenges in mitigating urban heat islands?
- Coverage of HAPs is uneven across cities.
- Informal workers remain most exposed.
- Cooling infrastructure costs money ULBs may lack.
What should be done next on mitigating urban heat islands?
- Extend HAPs to more cities and districts.
- Hard-wire informal-worker measures into HAPs.
- Use vulnerability maps in master plans.
What can Prelims ask on mitigating urban heat islands?
- Urban planning: Twelfth Schedule; States/ULBs.
- NDMA heat guidelines 2019.
- HAPs: 23 States, 195 districts, 64 cities.
- Informal workers advisory: shade, hydration, cooling centres.
How to write about mitigating urban heat islands in Mains
Practice question (10 marks, 150 words): Urban heat is a local planning problem with national health costs. Discuss the Centre-State toolkit.
- Intro: Twelfth Schedule.
- NDMA guidelines and HAP counts.
- Informal workers.
- Gaps.
- Conclusion: plans must fund shade and water.
How to use this in Mains
- As per PIB (2026-07-20): government said urban planning falls under States and ULBs (12th Schedule); the Centre supplements via schemes to mitigate urban heat islands.
- Heat is killing more people in cities, and planning is a State and ULB job.
Quotable data pointGovernment said urban planning falls under States and ULBs (12th Schedule).
PIB: MoHUA: urban heat island, 20 Jul 2026
Exam angle
Prelims: 12th Schedule.
Practice MCQs
Original practice questions (not PYQs).
Urban planning is listed in which Constitutional schedule?
Answer (c) & explanation
MoHUA, 20 Jul 2026; Constitution Twelfth Schedule.
As per the July 2026 MoHUA reply, Heat Action Plans exist in how many cities?
Answer (b) & explanation
MoHUA, 20 Jul 2026.
Questions students ask about this
Who is responsible for urban planning?
State Governments and ULBs / urban development authorities, under the Twelfth Schedule.
How many cities have Heat Action Plans?
64, along with 23 States and 195 districts.
When were NDMA's national heat-wave guidelines issued?
2019.
Keep studying
Go deeper
Official source: PIB: MoHUA: urban heat island, 20 Jul 2026
facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending