Aim at ‘clean urban India’ and ‘balanced urban development’ by 2019:Modi(Video)

Gandhinagar, 17 October 2013

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today mooted the idea of ‘Clean Urban India’ through ‘Balanced Urban Development’ by 2019 to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary and by 2022 to mark 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.

Inaugurating a National Summit on Inclusive Urban Development-2013 at Mahatma Mandir here, he said that we have to create mass awareness involving people’s participation through 4Ps (pro-people public-private partnership) in a nationwide movement for 4Ms for generating manpower, money resource, machinery and mobility.

However, he said, there is need to improve the quality of urban life for the dalit, oppressed, persecuted and have-nots to realize the Mahatma’s dream of clean cities.

He said the concept of town planning has changed from providing roads, drinking water and sewer lines to setting up townships within towns. At the same time, he cautioned against unplanned development leading to haphazard growth. Town planning should be considered as an opportunity and not as a crisis.

Mr. Modi said that he had sent a proposal to the Centre for developing 500 self-reliant clean cities, recycling solid wastes generated into organic fertilizers for horticulturists to grow fruits and vegetables. Gujarat has already initiated the scheme in 50 towns as a pilot project.

He said that India has fine specimens of town planning in the ruins of 5,000-year-old Indus Valley Civilization sites at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, Dholavira and Lothal. He said that over nine crore people have migrated from villages to towns in India during the last decade. One-third of India lived in towns, which are job centres and hubs of economic activity. Another 25-crore people will flock to towns by 2035. Attempt should be using homegrown men, materials and machinery. The civic bodies should be sensitized to the problems of the citizens. He hoped that town planners and elected representatives would fulfill their social responsibility.

Mr. Modi suggested switching off streetlights on moonlit days to save energy. As to water harvesting, he said, the practiced is in vogue in Gujarat for the last several centuries.

Talking about Gujarat, he said, we have extended 24-hour electricity and Internet connectivity in every village. He recalled that Gujarat has built the Mahatma Mandir, the venue of the present summit, was built in 182 days in a record of sorts with soil and water brought from all corners of India.

Japan’s Ambassador to India Takeshi Yagi said that Gujarat has become Japan’s new manufacturing hub in India, as well as a global business hub, attracting investment, thanks to good governance and transparency. He gave details of Japan’s share in developing urban transport, Ahmedabad-Mumbai High Speed Rail and Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.

Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industries President Masakazu Sakakida said Japan has identified Gujarat as the best place. A number of Japanese companies are coming to India, over 60 such Japanese companies having set up their offices in Gujarat alone, spreading their business.

Former Urban Development Secretary of Government of India Dr M Ramchandran said there is need for appropriate strategy for balanced slum-free urban growth by providing basic civic amenities like affordable houses and public transport, clean and hygienic surrounding.

Urban Development Minister Anandiben Patel said that Gujarat has earmarked adequate budget allocations for a strong urban sector, as it rose from Rs.127-crore in 2000-2001 to Rs.6,650-crore now. About 42 percent of population lived in 160 municipalities in Gujarat.

The summit, a brainchild of Mr. Modi, is attended by 5,000 planners, delegates, government officials, mayors and people’s elected representatives from different cities and states of the country and also abroad.