Rising population in cities pose challenge for urbanisation, says Union Minister Khattar
Bengaluru (PTI): Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said urbanisation has become a major issue with the rapid rise in city population and the Centre has begun holding regional meetings to address a wide range of urban development concerns.
"Urbanisation has become a major issue these days because, day by day, the population of our cities is increasing," Khattar said after a regional meeting here involving Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Lakshadweep.
The union minister for housing and urban affairs said the meeting discussed subjects "right from road, drains, mobility, metro rail," and included "demands and suggestions" from participating states.
"It was a good meeting," he said, adding that the Centre plans to hold an Urban Conclave in New Delhi soon where ministers, secretaries and the mayors of some important corporations will be invitied.
Stressing the importance of cooperative federalism, Khattar said, "There may be governments of various political parties, but for being in a cooperative federalism, we have to cooperate with each other so that together we can move. We have to strengthen our country and no state should be left behind."
Responding to questions about the alleged delay in release of central funds, the minister clarified that there is no common policy in all the subjects as many issues are state-specific.
He added that metro and other urban projects are funded through a mix of central-state partnerships, public-private ventures, and international agencies like those in Japan and the World Bank.
On the Bengaluru tunnel road controversy in which Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya have locked horns, Khattar said urban challenges differ from city to city and there cannot be ‘a common solution’ for all.
"Every city has different situations. Metro can be built underground and above...," he remarked.
Khattar highlighted that India’s metro network has expanded rapidly, with 1,100 km operational and another 900 km in progress.
"Today we are in third place in terms of the metro rail network. Once we build a 2,000 km metro rail line, we will surpass the USA also," he said.
He concluded that metro rail work is under way in five cities and will eventually expand to 29 across the country.
On Bihar polls, he said his party’s alliance will win.
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Odisha: BJD, Congress demand rollback of fuel price hike
Bhubaneswar (PTI): The opposition BJD and Congress on Friday demanded an immediate rollback of the fuel price hike, accusing the ruling BJP of adopting a "double standard" on the issue of GST on petrol and diesel.
The women's wing of the Congress staged a demonstration near a fuel station in Bhubaneswar, protesting the increase of Rs 3 per litre in petrol and diesel prices.
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said the BJP had demanded that petrol and diesel be brought under the GST regime when it was in the opposition in the state, but was now taking a contradictory stand after coming to power.
"This is the time for the BJP to honour its earlier commitments and bring petrol and diesel under GST after withdrawing VAT. The party said one thing while in opposition, but after assuming power, it is misleading the people with a different stance," he alleged.
In a statement, the BJD claimed that fuel prices were not reduced even when international crude oil prices had fallen below USD 60 per barrel, allowing oil companies to earn massive profits at the expense of consumers.
"Now, when crude oil prices are rising, the BJP government has increased fuel prices by Rs 3 per litre to protect the profits of oil companies. This exposes the true character of the BJP," it alleged.
Ipsita Sahu, president of the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal, said the Centre should explain "under what pressure" it was being compelled to avoid cheaper fuel imports from Russia.
Meanwhile, Mahila Congress activists marched from the party's state headquarters to a fuel station in the Unit-2 area of Bhubaneswar, demanding rollback of the hike in petrol, diesel, commercial LPG and CNG prices.
As part of the protest, women activists brought two-wheelers without petrol to symbolically highlight the burden of rising fuel costs.
District Mahila Congress president Shriya Mohanty claimed the fuel price hike exposed the real nature of the BJP government.
"During the Manmohan Singh government in 2014, diesel was sold at Rs 55 per litre and petrol at Rs 70 per litre," she claimed.
