Smart City mission a mass movement for future: Modi

Describing cities as ‘growth centres’ that can digest poverty and generate employment opportunities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the government is looking at migration — from rural to urban pockets — as an opportunity instead of a problem.

Describing cities as ‘growth centers’ that can digest poverty and generate employment opportunities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the government is looking at migration — from rural to urban pockets — as an opportunity instead of a problem.

Speaking at a function organised to mark the first anniversary of the Smart Cities Mission, Modi spoke about the dependency of a large section of the population on agriculture, which was one of the main causes of migration.

“People from the rural areas come to the cities with the confidence that they will get opportunities in the cities to meet their needs. This is the potential of cities,” Modi said, adding that the mission aims at improving the cities by protecting their character and spirit. “It aims to put new energy into cities without changing their identities but ensuring a modern look,” he said.

The PM stressed that the project was not merely a scheme for allocation of funds, but a mass movement to look at the future.