Gujarat CM lauds Smart Cities Mission, renewable energy

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Smart City Mission, saying that the implementation of key developmental projects would greatly benefit the people of the state. Surat, Gujarat, is getting a facelift as part of the Smart City Mission, with key projects like the GD Goenka Canal Road, the ICCC Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC), and DREAM City. 

The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) organized a three-day tour of several development projects in Surat, the city that has been ranked first in the implementation of Smart Cities Projects for three consecutive years, from April 16 to 18.

The delegates, who reviewed several development projects, stated that the Gujarat governance model is replicable and that the country should learn from it. "In the state, there is a high demand for electricity and water." We are converting to renewable energy and hope to keep it that way. Our attention is also drawn to the water facility, which is critical for both the general public and businesses. 

"We are attempting to maximize the benefits through AMRUT Sarovar as well," said CM Bhupendra Patel. "Right now, renewable energy accounts for 33% of total energy requirements, and by 2029, we hope to increase that to 50%," he said.

The CM also stated that the state is moving toward organic farming. "We are heading towards organic farming. Soil health is also important which is being degraded due to the use of excessive fertilisers. It will initially yield more but eventually, with the loss of carbon in the soil the production will be reduced," said Patel.

In response to crop losses caused by unseasonal rain, he stated, "Opposition parties' agenda is to raise questions about it, but here in Gujarat, there are no such complaints from farmers." The purpose of the delegates' tour was to review development projects and the implementation of flagship government schemes in Surat, the "to be smart city."

The three-day tour focused on development projects such as GD Goenka Canal Road, a 3.5-kilometer stretch built at a cost of more than Rs 54 lakh that will include a gym, playground, and cafeteria, as well as an Integrated Command Control Centre that will monitor the city; Diamond Research and Mercantile (DREAM) City, a new city for diamantaires with world-class facilities; and Diamond Research and Mercantile (DREAM) City, a new city for diamantaires; Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), which provided 1 BHK houses to 23,000 families, and Bamroli Tertiary Treatment Plant, a water treatment plant. 

The delegates also visited the Surat Diamond Bourse and the Khajod waste dumping site remediation project. The team personally experienced the bicycle-sharing project and went cycling to Dumas.