National
Smart Cities Mission a starter to India’s urban transformation: Minister Hardeep Puri
New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) The Smart Cities Mission of the government is just a starter to India’s urban transformation and the plan won’t be limited to just 99 designated areas, says Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri.
“Transforming entire existing cities has never been done in the history of the world,” says Puri. “You can build new cities over time, but fixing old cities requires a strategic vision and a carefully planned outlay of resources.”
In an interview to the journal India Review & Analysis, Puri, who holds independent charge of the ministry, also noted that the mission to transform Indian cities is an innovative intervention to address “some of the most chronic problems” in the management, planning and finance of cities.
He said the overall purpose to transform urban India would benefit from the Smart Cities Mission as it would create “lighthouse cities” like the innovation labs for the urban sector.
The mission, he said, “will create the proofs-of-concept, the models and best practices that other cities around the country will learn from.
“It is important to note that the smart cities represent the full spectrum of the urban sector in our country,” he said, referring to the 99 cities that have been nominated to be developed as smart cities across the country.
“There are cities of all sizes with all kinds of economic activities and a diverse range of social and cultural contexts.”
He said the mission is fundamentally “an innovative intervention into the long-neglected urban sector” of India. It is “to target some of the most chronic problems in the management, planning and finance of cities and seeks to address those problems”.
Asked about a common concern that designating an area as a Smart City would increase the inequality gap, the former top diplomat, who retired as India’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations, dismissed it as a “common misconception”.
“We must understand that transforming entire existing cities has never been done in the history of the world. You can build new cities over time, but fixing old cities requires a strategic vision and a carefully planned outlay of resources. Starting with one area does not mean we will limit ourselves to that area only. In fact, that is only the starting point.”
He said the government was also cognizant of the issues related to urban migration for which it constituted a group of experts and officials to deliberate on the subject of migration and its impact on housing, infrastructure and livelihoods.
“The recommendation was to integrate migrants into the urban economy, especially by addressing their housing needs, which have a direct impact on their access to livelihood and their ability to access other services like healthcare and education for their families. In terms of housing, for those who migrate to our cities and can’t immediately purchase houses, a rental housing policy is also being drafted.”
He said the government’s National Urban Livelihoods Mission also aims to integrate various kinds of workers into the urban economy through skill-building and other initiatives.
“Contrary to the dogma that has prevailed for many decades, the migrant is the person who brings new ideas and energy into urban societies. Most importantly, as our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) once said, a poor migrant gets accommodated and assimilated into the urban economy — thus, cities are able to ‘digest’ poverty.”
The principle of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ “will be manifest in all aspects of our work in the urban sector”, Puri stated in the interview.
–IANS
sar/tb
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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