Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, stressed that urban planning is the need of the hour for a fast-progressing country like India, it will determine the country’s destiny in Amrit Kaal.
Sharing his remarks at a post-budget webinar on Urban Planning, Development and Sanitation, he said the Union Budget of 2023-24 has a special focus on urban planning and infrastructure development. He said, new cities being developed will create a new identity for India in the 21st century, adding that, with India urbanising rapidly it is important to build infrastructure that is futuristic.
Modi highlighted that transport planning, urban infrastructure planning and water management are some areas to focus on in urban planning. The Prime Minister said, India is making circular economy a major pillar of urban development.
The Prime Minister requested the experts to come up with innovative ideas and highlighted the role that they can play in areas such as GIS-based master planning, the development of different types of planning tools, efficient human resources, and capacity building. He mentioned that their expertise will be much needed by urban local bodies thereby creating many opportunities.
The Prime Minister underlined that transport planning is an important pillar of the development of cities and the mobility of our cities should be uninterrupted. Highlighting the metro connectivity in the country before 2014, the Prime Minister pointed out that the present government has worked on metro rail in many cities and overtaken several countries in terms of metro network connectivity. He emphasised the need to strengthen the metro network and provide first and last-mile connectivity. He also mentioned that the widening of roads in cities, green mobility, elevated roads, and junction improvement have to be included as part of transport planning.
He added that an important pillar in city development is transport planning and said green mobility, broadening of roads, and elevated roads are some things to be included in the transport planning. The Prime Minister also stressed that human-centric development should be ensured along with city development.
The Prime Minister underlined that our future cities should be defined on parameters such as architecture, zero discharge model, net positivity of energy, efficiency in land use, transit corridors and use of AI in public services. He also noted the need for playgrounds and paths for bicycle rides for children as part of urban planning.
“The plans and policies that the government is making should not only make life easier for the people of the cities but also help in their own development”, the Prime Minister said. He informed about the government’s commitment to spend about Rs 80,000 crores for the PM-Awas Yojana in this year’s budget and said that industries like cement, steel, paint, and furniture get a boost whenever a house is built. Throwing light on the increasing role of futuristic technology in the field of urban development, the Prime Minister urged the startups as well as the industry to think in this direction and act quickly. “We have to take advantage of the possibilities that exist, and also give rise to new possibilities. From sustainable house technology to sustainable cities, we have to find new solutions”, the Prime Minister concluded.
