Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for state governments focussing on urban development. The urban development takes place in two ways: Development of new town and cities and modernizing the old towns and cities.
He expressed concern over development of only a few towns and cities in a planned way. Had the rulers of the country built 75 new and planned towns and cities, the country would have been different altogether today, the PM remarked.
Speaking on urban planning, development and sanitation during the webinar on the Union budget, Modi observed that India is developing at a rapid speed in 21st century. Therefore, many new cities are needed for the benefit of posterity. Therefore, to develop new cities, the Union Government has earmarked Rs 15,000 crore for the purpose in the budget. He described the allocation as a new chapter in the annals of the planned and systematic urban development. It would receive much fillip during the days to come, he said.
Poor planned development and lack of proper implementation of the urban development plans have created many challenges for the rulers. Transportation, urban infrastructure amenities development, water management plans require focused attention, he said.
The state governments and urban local bodies should always keep one thing in mind, they would be able to contribute to the development of the country only when they developed planned urban areas. He urged the urban planners to think of several innovative methods like the GIS-based Master Plan development, efficient development of human resources or capacity building. The new towns and cities to be built in future should be free from garbage, should have adequate water resources, capable of withstanding vagaries of atmospheric conditions. Therefore, he called for stepping up investments in development of urban basic amenities in tier-2 and tier-3 towns and cities.
