Minister for Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said that two important schemes for developing urban infrastructure — Smart Cities Mission and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation — will be launched this month. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the date for launching these schemes.
Talking to The Pioneer, Naidu said urban reform and urban governance are two major challenges and efforts are on to address them. He said the Sates Governments and urban local bodies have been sensitised towards these challenges. On PM’s most ambitious scheme: Housing for all by 2022, Naidu said some rural issues have to be sorted out before its launch.
Defending the party’s mass contact programme on completion of one year of NDA Government, Naidu said, “Our political adversaries have been making some uncharitable comments about the massive outreach programme undertaken by the Government and the BJP. They are saying that we are fighting a perception battle and the Government has nothing much to show on the ground. This is absolutely incorrect.” The Opposition is clearly rattled by the range, scope and implications of the initiatives of the Government and its growing popularity within and outside the country, he added.
He said the objective of reaching out to the people is not to celebrate our accomplishments during the last one year. It is primarily to inform them of their entitlements under the various new schemes and initiatives launched during the last one year so that they can take benefit from them. People should know their rights so that they can demand the same from the Governments, he said. “The immediate concern is to inform the people of the immediate benefits they can get under various new welfare initiatives. Ministers, MPs and party functionaries have been visiting the nook and corner of the country telling the people of 25 initiatives that they can take advantage of,” he said.
Claiming that all the initiatives relate to the poor, farmers, youth, weaker sections of the society, tribal people and minorities, Naidu said, “We want the targeted beneficiaries to insist on their entitlements under these schemes ranging from social security measures like pension, life and accident insurance, financial inclusion, enhanced relief to farmers for crop damages, financial support to entrepreneurs belonging to the weaker sections and other poor, skill development for the youth etc.”
“We are fully aware of the minds of the people and their perception of the Government and the Prime Minister and our ability to deliver to the people. We were voted to power with a mandate for five years. We have that much time to address the concerns of the people and again go to them later on the basis of what we have done for them during this period,” he said. Making a snide remark against the Opposition, Naidu said, “We don’t believe in confining ourselves to Delhi as many others do. We have the obligation, commitment and conviction to be with the people always and remain connected with them all the time. So, we are reaching out to them.”
Highlighting the Modi Government’s initiatives during the last one year, he said the Central Government has made a very strong beginning towards laying firm foundations to empower every Indian to live with dignity, ensure social security, enhance employment opportunities, encourage economic development of the country, enable effective functioning of Parliament and engage other countries in meaningful partnerships to further national goals.