Centre is keen on ensuring basic needs of citizens: Puri

The Building India Conclave witnessed a session with Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani on the dais.

The government is keen to ensure that every citizen gets basic needs like roti, kapda and makan (food, clothing and house). The test of a government is its ability to deliver goods and services in a tangible manner.

This was stated by Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, while addressing the “Building India Conclave”, organised by The Sunday Guardian and NewsX channel, in the national capital this week. Puri spoke about various government schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Swachh Bharat initiatives aimed at providing basic services to the people.

The conclave turned out to be a unique platform for stakeholders who discussed in detail the various factors imperative for the nation’s growth. The summit witnessed discussions on India’s future on the development plank, especially on issues like urban development planning, sustainable development, how development can be done keeping the aspect of pollution, and other issues like what a smart city means in India, in mind.

The summit was inaugurated by Hardeep Singh Puri and attended by other key speakers from the real estate sector, urban planning and bureaucrats. Speaking about urban planning, especially in cities like Delhi and other metros, Puri emphasised on the need to have better transport facilities.

The “Building India Conclave” also witnessed dedicated sessions on Indian Railways with Ashwani Lohani, chairman of the Railway Board. Lohani spoke about modernising railways, how Indian Railways was focusing more on safety, clean trains and railway stations, semi-high speed trains, modernising railway stations, meeting targets and other issues. Lohani specifically talked about the development of dedicated freight corridors or separate tracks for goods trains.

The conclave also saw discussions on smart cities and how relevant they were in the present times, what a smart city is and how future planning can happen keeping the increasing population in the country in check. Also, the conclave focused on the real estate sector and how the dream of affordable housing can be fulfilled keeping in mind sustainable development.

Hardeep Singh Puri also honoured people working in the area of urban planning and those working in different development projects.