THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, DELHI

Distinguished speakers, guests & students

It is a pleasure to be present at the inaugural session of Harit Manthan 2026. I would like to commend the Delhi Development Authority and the Udhmodya Foundation for bringing together students, researchers, and practitioners to engage with an issue that is both immediate and long-term in its implications.
Delhi, as we know, is not only an administrative and economic centre, but also a city with a significant ecological footprint. The management of over 16,000 acres of parks, biodiversity zones, and urban forests presents both an opportunity and a challenge.
These green spaces are essential for improving air quality, supporting biodiversity, and enhancing the overall quality of urban life. At the same time, managing them effectively at scale requires new approaches that combine technology, policy, and community engagement.
This is where initiatives such as Harit Manthan assume importance. They create a platform where ideas can be tested, refined, and, importantly, translated into practical solutions.
The structure of this Hackathon bringing together both a technology track and a policy track is particularly relevant.
Technological solutions, including data analytics, remote sensing, and digital monitoring systems, can improve how we track and manage ecological assets.

At the same time, policy frameworks are equally important in ensuring that these solutions are scalable, cost-effective, and aligned with institutional capacities.
The challenge, therefore, is not only innovation, but integration on how to connect ideas with implementation.
One of the key issues highlighted is the gap between available technologies and their deployment at a government scale. This is a practical constraint that requires context-specific solutions, particularly those that are affordable, adaptable, and sustainable over time.
In this regard, the focus on developing solutions that can be piloted within DDA’s existing infrastructure is a constructive step. It allows for experimentation within a real-world setting, which is essential for refining and scaling ideas.
The inclusion of seed funding and incubation support further strengthens this process. It provides continuity beyond the Hackathon and enables promising ideas to evolve into implementable models.
For the participants, this is an opportunity to engage directly with real policy and operational challenges.
The issues you are working on urban biodiversity, water systems, citizen engagement, and financing models are central to the future of urban governance.
Cities across the world are increasingly facing similar challenges. In that sense, solutions developed here have the potential to be adapted beyond Delhi as well.
At a broader level, this initiative reflects an important shift in governance towards collaborative problem-solving.
Public institutions are increasingly engaging with academic institutions, startups, and young innovators to address complex challenges. This approach allows for a diversity of perspectives and encourages experimentation.

It also recognises that innovation is not confined to any single domain, but emerges through interaction between different sectors.

For students and young innovators, this is a valuable platform.

It provides an opportunity not only to develop solutions, but also to understand the constraints and realities of implementation.
This understanding is essential for designing interventions that are both effective and practical.
At the same time, urban sustainability is not only a technical issue. It also involves behavioural and institutional dimensions.

Citizen participation, awareness, and responsible usage of public spaces play an important role in maintaining ecological balance.

Harit Manthan 2026 represents a constructive effort to bridge the gap between ideas and implementation in the domain of urban ecology.

It brings together stakeholders from different sectors and creates a framework for addressing real challenges through innovation and collaboration.

I would like to commend all the organisers, mentors, and participants for their efforts.
I look forward to seeing the ideas that emerge from this initiative and how they contribute to strengthening Delhi’s ecological landscape.
Thank you.