Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Wednesday that special attention needed to be paid to urban planning, and suggested that the next few years till 2019 could be observed as “urban theme years,” with a different theme or aspect of urban development being addressed each year.
Reviewing the progress of various urban development projects, Mr. Modi suggested the creation of “children-friendly cities.”
The Prime Minister instructed the Union Urban Development Ministry to address the gaps in core physical infrastructure across 500 cities.
Pointing out that towns and cities had emerged as key drivers of economic growth, the Prime Minister said the economic growth model of a city should form an essential part of its smart city vision. A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office said Mr. Modi called for initiating discussions in towns and cities, especially among youth, to generate best ideas for smart cities.
“City museum”Addressing senior officials of UD Ministry and the Ministry of Finance, who were part of the meeting, Mr. Modi said attention needs to be focussed on concepts and themes such as green cities, zero waste, optical fibre networks, gas grids, and mobile governance and said a 'City Museum' should be an integral part of every smart city.
Union Minister for Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu, and senior officers from the PMO and Ministries of Finance and Urban Development attended the meeting.