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Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar’s urban development minister Prem Kumar is on a three-day visit to Gujarat to study the state government’s urban development projects like BRTS, slum rehabilitation scheme, metro rail project, and affordable housing to emulate them in Bihar.
In 2011 the Bihar government had turned to Ahmedabad-based Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University to prepare a city development plan for Patna, which has been facing civic issues, especially water-logging and solid waste management. |
Prem Kumar told the Ahmedabad edition of the Times of India: “Bihar and Gujarat are synonymous with good governance in the country and both the states are marching forward. There is no harm in learning from each other.”
“I am here to take a look as how other states have implemented certain schemes and how we can replicate successful models at home. Last week, I visited Nagpur,” he said.
“We in Bihar are also implementing certain projects. And our main aim is to provide affordable housing for the middle class. For that we have even got loan of Rs 6,000 crore from Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO),” he added.
The minister said “We need one lakh homes in the urban centres. At present we are able to provide only 12,000. To bridge the gap, we are working on the PPP model. We would be selling the houses at Rs 25 lakh, much less than the market price. We hope to cater to 11 per cent urban population of Bihar.”
Reports also said he would be visiting Kankaria, riverfront, and would be leaving for Kutch to witness how Rann Utsav was organized and if a similar model can be replicated in Bihar to boost tourism there. He would also be visiting the various ports in Gujarat.
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