Ahmedabad, 8 January 2013

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today underscored the need for considering urbanization as an opportunity and not as a challenge.

Speaking at a pre-summit seminar on Rurbanization at the 6th Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit-2013, he said the process of urbanization could not be checked and therefore Government of Gujarat has floated the Rurban concept, providing the urban facilities in rural areas. He said that schemes like e-Gram and Jyoti Gram Yojna have saved Gujarat from rural exodus and urban influx.

Mr. Modi said that Gujarat proposed to develop six new world-class cities, including Dholera, besides developing seven twin cities, preserving environmental and development aspects. He said that Gujarat’s coastal belt would be the new growth centre of the state.

Eight Memorandums of Understanding (Mou) were signed with private parties in presence of the Chief Minister today to provide educational, health, housing and similar social facilities in the rurban sector.

Gujarat’s Panchayat Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma said that while no state could provide 24-hour power to a single village so far, Gujarat has extended 24-hour power to all its 18,000-odd villages. The state government is committed to provide basic civic amenities available in towns in villages, too.

Additional Chief Secretary for Health, Education, Employment and Rural Development Varesh Sinha made a presentation on the department’s projects on the occasion.