PM Narendra Modi calls for identifying parameters for 'Smart Cities' initiative

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called for identifying parameters that could be laid down for the 'Smart Cities' initiative, adding that the project should improve the quality of urban governance, thereby lending greater strength to the overall governance processes of the country.

Chairing a high-level meeting on the initiative in the national capital, Prime Minister Modi asked the Ministry of Urban Development to convene a workshop of all central and state urban development authorities at the earliest and asked officials to identify the basics of infrastructure, quality of life, and citizen-centric services that would be essential to cities of the 21st century.

The Prime Minister further stated that cities should be identified as 'hubs of economic activity', adding that a focus on 'waste to wealth', that is, solid-waste management and waste-water treatment, would be an important part of the development of smart cities.