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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PM Modi is controlled by Donald Trump, wants to do the same in TN: Rahul Gandhi
Ranipet (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was being "controlled" by US President Donald Trump and that the PM wanted the AIADMK to capture power so that he could control Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
Also, he claimed that the prime minister "handed out our energy security and gave away our data, besides selling our farmers and small and medium industries."
"You saw yesterday (in Parliament) the face of Prime Minister Narendra Modi completely lacking confidence," Rahul said on the delimitation bill.
"He (PM) could not even face the opposition. He was sitting sideways. And the reason is, he is controlled by the United States. He signed the India-US deal that sold our country out," Rahul said while addressing an election rally here.
He further said, "Today, if Donald Trump tells Modi to jump, Modi jumps. If Donald Trump tells Modi to lie down, Modi lies down. Why? Because Donald Trump controls Modi fully. How does he control him? He controls through the Epstein files. He controls him because he knows Modi's financial systems and understands Modi's link with Adani," the Congress leader alleged.
Just as he was being controlled by Trump, Modi wanted to do the same to the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. "That is why he wants to put AIADMK in power in TN," Rahul said.
The Union government had rejected references to PM Modi in the latest Jeffrey Epstein case files, describing it as “little more than trashy ruminations by a convicted criminal that deserves to be dismissed with the utmost contempt”.
