Uttar Pradesh secured first position in the country in implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
Sachin Lucknow: A significant regional meeting on urban development issues of the North–Central region was organized in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh under the chairmanship of the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar. The objective of the meeting was to hold in-depth discussions with the states on the challenges arising from rapid urbanisation, future requirements and solution-oriented strategies.
During the meeting, detailed deliberations were held on the current status of urban development in the North–Central region states, infrastructure requirements, housing, transportation, sanitation, energy, environmental protection and the development of smart and sustainable cities. Special emphasis was laid on making coordination between the Central and State Governments more effective.
On behalf of the Government of Uttar Pradesh the Minister for Urban Development and Energy Arvind Kumar Sharma participated in the meeting and shared the state experiences and innovations related to urban development. He stated that to realise the vision of Developed India 2047, it is essential to make urban development inclusive, balanced and sustainable so that the benefits of development reach the last person in society.
Sharma said that urban planning should be formulated by keeping in mind the needs of all sections of society including the poor, middle class, women, youth and marginalized groups. He highlighted environmental protection, energy efficiency, use of renewable energy, development of green cities and strengthening of basic infrastructure.
The Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his team appreciated the initiatives undertaken by the Urban Development Department of Uttar Pradesh. Special praise was given for removing decades-old legacy waste and garbage mountains to keep cities clean. Similarly, Uttar Pradesh has secured first position in the country in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
During the meeting, discussions were also held on better urban governance, transparency, use of technology, improvement in the quality of civic services and strengthening of urban local bodies. Sharma stated that strong urban local bodies form the foundation of clean, safe and well organised cities.
It was clearly stated in the meeting that the Central Government aims to work together with the states to develop urban development models that are environmentally friendly, generate employment and improve the standard of living of citizens. This meeting is an important step towards establishing India as a developed, strong and inclusive nation by the year 2047.
Representatives from other states also shared their suggestions and experiences and expressed consensus on the need to further strengthen Centre–State cooperation. This regional meeting is being seen as an important initiative towards developing cities of the North central region in line with future requirements, effectively addressing the challenges of urbanisation and reinforcing cooperation between the centre and the states.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh along with ministers and representatives from other states, as well as Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department, Anuj Kumar Jha and Balkar Singh.
