A vast majority of countries in the world adopted the concept of welfare state. This concept was conceived in terms of human freedom and progress. The state was regarded as an institution of human welfare, which was supposed to endeavor for a free and full development of human personality. The welfare state is a form of society characterized by a system of democratic government sponsored welfare placed on a new feeling and offering a guarantee of collective social care to its citizens concurrently with the maintenance of a capitalist system of production.

Developing countries worldwide have been embarking on ‘smart cities’ programmes using new technology solutions to improve public services. Faced with severe problems of digital divide, poverty, unemployment, inequality, and financial and social exclusion, these cities have to negotiate hard in order to reach their goals. This book examines urban governance, digital divide, poverty, unemployment, and financial and social exclusion and presents a theoretical perspective on inclusive cities, urbanization, migration, slums,and affordable housing. The book aims at formulating and implementing an agenda for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable urban development in tune with the UN-SDGs, the New Urban Agenda of Habitat III, and India’s new national urban missions. It probes into the scope of adopting inclusionary urban planning, zoning, and housing, financing inclusive city development, and poverty alleviation through municipal finance reforms using findings and lessons from detailed field studies of Indian cities. It also suggests an agenda for slum-free and poverty-free cities in an attempt to make these cities more people-focused, humane, and inclusionary. This book will be of interest to scholars and researchers of political science, policy studies, public administration, urban studies, urban planning and management, urban sociology, and geography, besides being of interest to policy researchers, community workers, grass roots researchers, policymakers, and sociologists.