Annual conference of Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI) will commence in Bhopal on Friday at hotel Courtyard Marriott. Madhya Pradesh Health Minister Prabhuram Choudhary has to be the Chief Guest and inaugurate the conference. OPS Bhadortya, Minister of Urban Development and Housing would grace the occasion as Guest of Honour. Bhadortya will inaugurate an exhibition at 10.30 am.

Vishvas Sarang Minister of Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation and Rural Development will be the Chief Guest during valedictory session and deliver valedictory address and distribute Prof VN Prasad National Best Thesis Award to postgraduate students and also Prof DS Meshram, National Best Thesis Award to undergraduate students.

Notably, ITPI, established In the year 1951, as an apex body of qualified Town Planners, has now over 7000 members on its role and is totally committed to foster town and country planning profession and advance town and country planning education in the Country. ITPI functions through 24 Regional Chapters, located mostly in the State Capitals, and 5 Regional Centers.

To achieve its objective, ITPI organizes every year National Town and Country Planners Conference, since its inception without any break. The conference provides an opportunity to state town planners, educationist, researchers and allied professionals, from government, public, corporate, cooperative and private sectors to discuss latest developments and technological innovations in the urban and rural planning and development. Generally, over 500 delegates from different parts of the country and abroad, participate and presentations are made by the experts / eminent planners of the country, sharing success stories in the urban and regional planning and development.

It is pertinent to mention that the earlier National Town and Country Planners Conferences were held in Madhya Pradesh, during 1962-63 at Bhopal on the theme 'Planning Problems of Small and Medium Size Towns'.

, and in the year 1973-74, again at Bhopal on the theme 'Human Environment and National Development in Context of Fifth Five Year Plan'.

In the year 1986-87 the conference was held at Indore on the theme "Development Management in Urban and Rural Areas"; and in the year 2004-05 and again at Indore on the theme "Plan Implementation and Enforcement: Innovative Mechanisms and Techniques".