CM Chandrababu Naidu Meets UN-Habitat Chief in Singapore
Synopsis
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu met UN-Habitat Executive Director Anaclaudia Rosbach in Singapore on 15 June 2026, proposing a Centre of Excellence in Andhra Pradesh, PSUP implementation in slums, and the Urban Rasta Framework for fast-growing cities. UN-Habitat responded positively to the proposals.
Key Takeaways
Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu met UN-Habitat Executive Director Anaclaudia Rosbach in Singapore on 15 June 2026 .
Andhra Pradesh offered to allocate land for a UN-Habitat Centre of Excellence in the state.
The Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) was discussed for implementation in existing urban informal settlements in AP.
The Urban Rasta Framework was proposed for rapidly growing mid-size cities in Andhra Pradesh.
UN-Habitat responded positively to the proposals raised during the meeting, per the Chief Minister's Office.
The engagement continues Andhra Pradesh's pattern of international urban planning partnerships, including its 2015 collaboration with Singapore on Amaravati .
The Chief Minister's Office of Andhra Pradesh announced on Monday, 15 June 2026 that Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu met UN-Habitat Executive Director Anaclaudia Rosbach in Singapore as part of an ongoing overseas visit, proposing a UN-Habitat Centre of Excellence in the state and seeking collaboration on sustainable urban development.
Context
During the meeting, CM Naidu disclosed that Andhra Pradesh is ready to allocate land for a UN-Habitat Centre of Excellence, signalling the state government's intent to institutionalise international urban expertise within its borders. He also requested UN-Habitat's cooperation for the sustainable development of towns across the state. The proposals received a positive response from the UN agency, according to the Chief Minister's Office.
Two specific programmes were placed on the table: the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) — a UN-Habitat initiative to improve living conditions in existing informal settlements — and the Urban Rasta Framework, proposed for deployment in rapidly growing mid-size cities in the state.
Policy Backdrop
Andhra Pradesh has a documented history of seeking international urban planning partnerships. In 2015, the state government engaged Singapore agencies for the master-planning of the new capital Amaravati, making the current Singapore venue symbolically significant. India's Smart Cities Mission, also launched in 2015, included multiple Andhra Pradesh cities with a focus on sustainable urban infrastructure.
UN-Habitat is the United Nations agency mandated to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements globally. Indian states have increasingly worked with the agency to localise Sustainable Development Goal 11 — on sustainable cities and communities — at the sub-national level. Andhra Pradesh under Naidu has consistently pursued this model of sub-national diplomacy since the state's reorganisation following bifurcation in 2014.
Stakeholders and Impact
The most immediate beneficiaries of a potential PSUP rollout would be slum dwellers in Andhra Pradesh's urban centres, where informal settlements continue to lack adequate infrastructure. Urban local bodies would gain a structured international framework for upgrading these areas with community participation built into the process.
Mid-size cities in the state stand to benefit from the proposed Urban Rasta Framework, which is aimed at managing rapid urbanisation in a planned, sustainable manner. A Centre of Excellence in Andhra Pradesh would also position the state as a regional hub for urban policy research and capacity building.
What's Next
The formalisation of the proposed UN-Habitat Centre of Excellence and the identification of pilot cities for the Urban Rasta Framework and PSUP will be the key milestones to watch. Any land allocation announcement by the state government for the Centre would mark a concrete step beyond the diplomatic engagement stage. The meeting in Singapore adds momentum to Andhra Pradesh's broader #InvestInAP outreach, signalling that urban sustainability is now a core plank of the state's international positioning.
Point of View
The Centre of Excellence would give Andhra Pradesh a structural advantage in shaping urban policy discourse at the national level.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did CM Chandrababu Naidu discuss with UN-Habitat in Singapore?
CM Naidu discussed establishing a UN-Habitat Centre of Excellence in Andhra Pradesh, implementing the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) in existing slums, and deploying the Urban Rasta Framework in fast-growing mid-size cities. UN-Habitat responded positively to these proposals.
What is the UN-Habitat Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme?
The Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) is a UN-Habitat initiative that works to improve living conditions and infrastructure in informal urban settlements through community participation. Andhra Pradesh has proposed implementing it in its existing slum areas.
What is the Urban Rasta Framework proposed by Andhra Pradesh?
The Urban Rasta Framework is a UN-Habitat urban planning tool proposed by CM Naidu for deployment in rapidly growing mid-size cities in Andhra Pradesh to support structured and sustainable urbanisation.
Why is Chandrababu Naidu visiting Singapore?
CM Naidu is on an overseas visit to Singapore that includes investment and diplomatic outreach under the state's #InvestInAP initiative. The meeting with UN-Habitat Executive Director Anaclaudia Rosbach was part of this visit.
Has Andhra Pradesh worked with Singapore on urban projects before?
Yes. In 2015, the Andhra Pradesh government partnered with Singapore planning agencies for the master-planning of the new state capital Amaravati, establishing a precedent for Singapore-linked urban collaboration.
