'Villagers cannot be prevented from going to cities'

SHILLONG: In a democratic country like India, no one can stop villagers from going to cities, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja here on Thursday said.
   
Laying the foundation stone of the Rs 13 crore housing project to be constructed at Nongmynsong locality in the city, Selja said economically weaker sections should be given a decent place to live in.
   
She said people moved from villages to the towns and cities for better livelihood, better health care and education.
   
She said the project, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, would benefit 300 urban poor families and the cost would be shared by the Centre and Meghalaya government on 90:10 ratio basis.
   
"I see no reason why the urban poor should not have a decent way of living," she said, adding that the project was part of the common minimum programme of the UPA government at the Centre.
   
Sharing project costs on 90:10 ratio between the Centre and state government was only applicable in the north eastern region, she said.
   
In other parts of the country, costs of the projects are shared between the Centre and state government on 80:20 ratio.