The cultural evolution of urban India has begun. The Centre would extend all possible cooperation for Bhopal and Indore metro train projects. Madhya Pradesh has done tremendous work in infrastructure development. The Union Minister for Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu said this while addressing a workshop on urban development issues at the Academy of Administration here on Monday.
Referring to Prime Minister's Reform, Perform and Transform-mantra, Naidu stressed on designing urban development schemes keeping in view the needs of coming ten years. The Centre is providing requisite funds. The States are getting 45 percent of tax revenue under the new policy. He said that urban development is possible only with the participation of people.
Naidu said that tremendous work has been done in infrastructure development in Madhya Pradesh. Its agriculture growth rate remains above 20 per cent over the past four years and growth rate remains over 10 per cent for last seven consecutive years. He attributed tremendous development Madhya Pradesh to the leadership of the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan saying that it has emerged as a model state.
Chouhan said that the Nagroday campaign would be launched from December 25 to January 25 enlisting greater public participation. Urban developmental projects will be completed in a mission mode.
Chouhan said that the urban Madhya Pradesh would become open defecation free by December 2017. Each family will be given plots in order to realize Prime Minister's vision of housing for all. In order to transform the cities, `20,500 crore will be spent on smart cities and ` 8,500 crore under AMRUT scheme.
Minister for Urban Development Maya Singh said that Madhya Pradesh has received as incentive ` 33.45 crore for effective implementation of urban development schemes.
She said that drinking water would be available in all cities by 2018. As many as 77 thousand housing units have been constructed. Madhya Pradesh is the first in the country to have sanctioned five year plan under AMRUT.
Naidu gave certificate of appreciation to Shahganj municipality for being Open Defecation Free. This is the first municipality declared as open defecation free in the state.