New Delhi:
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Launches 3 Schemes To Raise Urban Living Standards.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched three mega schemes, including the muchtouted plan to build 100 smart cities, and called for FDI and private sector participation to rejuvenate cities and towns across the country.
Besides smart cities, he unveiled the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for 500 cities and towns, and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana that aims to build two crore affordable houses.
The Centre's total investment in these three schemes would be Rs 4 lakh crore spread over 7-8 years. Experts say these programmes have the potential to raise the standard of living in urban India and trigger demand in construction and allied sectors.
The choice of Smart Cities will be decided based on a competition to be held at the state and central levels, starting with 20 this financial year.
Modi said development of cities cannot be left to realtors and city managers; citizens should decide development plans. A few property dealers had haphazardly expanded cities while city managers had missed the opportunity for planned development, he said.“In our country , wittingly or unwittingly , the image of the builder lobby is bad... A poor person invests all his savings for a house, but when he is cheated, he loses everything.To protect such consumers, we will try to get the Real Estate Regulator bill passed in the upcoming Parliament session,“ he said.
“These initiatives mark a paradigm shift, providing a people-centric approach to create world class urban spaces,“ Modi said, adding that rapid urbanization should be seen as an opportunity and urban centres should be viewed as growth engines.
The PM said that while planning the development or expansion of cities, adequate provisions for the “smallest of the small person“ must be ensured.
“Private developers know how the city will grow and in which direction. They will buy land and come up with projects. They will build houses, but the necessary facilities for good living are never provided. Neither are there roads nor electricity nor drainage facilities.
People come and buy the properties, but the rest of the facilities don't come up,“ he added. The PM called upon mayors and municipal commissioners of 500 cities to address this mismatch. He said, “If the city leadership does not have a long-term vision, this situation will not change.“
Modi said the government cannot leave the poor to their fate as providing them homes becomes a turning point in their lives.
Admitting that the targets set by his government are tough to achieve and people would ask him questions, Modi said this does not mean that the government can sit idle and not take necessary steps to improve urban life.
Housing logo drawn by Modi not launched.
Though PM Narendra Modi himself had suggested the logo for the flagship housing scheme and had even drawn a sketch, he could not launch it on Thursday. He launched the logos and tag lines of Smart Cities and Amrut.
Sources said the logo prepared by the housing ministry was awaiting PMO approval. TNN
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Launches 3 Schemes To Raise Urban Living Standards.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched three mega schemes, including the muchtouted plan to build 100 smart cities, and called for FDI and private sector participation to rejuvenate cities and towns across the country.
Besides smart cities, he unveiled the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for 500 cities and towns, and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana that aims to build two crore affordable houses.
The Centre's total investment in these three schemes would be Rs 4 lakh crore spread over 7-8 years. Experts say these programmes have the potential to raise the standard of living in urban India and trigger demand in construction and allied sectors.
The choice of Smart Cities will be decided based on a competition to be held at the state and central levels, starting with 20 this financial year.
Modi said development of cities cannot be left to realtors and city managers; citizens should decide development plans. A few property dealers had haphazardly expanded cities while city managers had missed the opportunity for planned development, he said.“In our country , wittingly or unwittingly , the image of the builder lobby is bad... A poor person invests all his savings for a house, but when he is cheated, he loses everything.To protect such consumers, we will try to get the Real Estate Regulator bill passed in the upcoming Parliament session,“ he said.
“These initiatives mark a paradigm shift, providing a people-centric approach to create world class urban spaces,“ Modi said, adding that rapid urbanization should be seen as an opportunity and urban centres should be viewed as growth engines.
The PM said that while planning the development or expansion of cities, adequate provisions for the “smallest of the small person“ must be ensured.
“Private developers know how the city will grow and in which direction. They will buy land and come up with projects. They will build houses, but the necessary facilities for good living are never provided. Neither are there roads nor electricity nor drainage facilities.
People come and buy the properties, but the rest of the facilities don't come up,“ he added. The PM called upon mayors and municipal commissioners of 500 cities to address this mismatch. He said, “If the city leadership does not have a long-term vision, this situation will not change.“
Modi said the government cannot leave the poor to their fate as providing them homes becomes a turning point in their lives.
Admitting that the targets set by his government are tough to achieve and people would ask him questions, Modi said this does not mean that the government can sit idle and not take necessary steps to improve urban life.
Housing logo drawn by Modi not launched.
Though PM Narendra Modi himself had suggested the logo for the flagship housing scheme and had even drawn a sketch, he could not launch it on Thursday. He launched the logos and tag lines of Smart Cities and Amrut.
Sources said the logo prepared by the housing ministry was awaiting PMO approval. TNN
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