Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel while inaugurating the U20 Mayoral Summit held at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar as part of the G20 Summit expressed a clear view that U20 will become a viable platform for modern development of world cities and solutions for future challenges.
In this context, he said that world leaders and mayors have come on one platform through this U20. In this era of rapid urb.sation, they not only have to exchange ideas about the opportunities of cities for economic development, but also to become socio-economic and economic hubs for their countries.
The Chief Minister expressed happiness that India has got the chairmanship of G-20 due to the successful efforts of world leader and eminent Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Org.zed in the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumpakam – One Earth – One World – One Family, U20 is a summit that unites all for a common agenda of sustainable urban development.
He also said that the challenges we will face as a global community will be similar in many ways.
Elaborating on this, the Chief Minister said that the need of the hour was to adapt the increasing urb.zation to sustainable development, climate change, public service delivery problems and solutions to traffic related problems.
He also pointed out that Gujarat is one of the most urb.zed states in the country and the history of urb.zation in Gujarat dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization 4500 years ago.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also said that the success story of Gujarat’s urban development sector is due to the inspiration and visionary leadership of Narendrabhai Modi.
As the then Chief Minister of the state, he directed the use of modern technology in civic amenities to ease the lives of the citizens of the cities. He said that as a result of his vision, the cities of the State have come up with innovative, futuristic projects in the development of public infrastructure and civic amenities.
The Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister has given the gift of projects which will make Gujarat’s urb.zation a global standard. He cited examples of GIFT City, Surat Diamond Burse, Dholera SIR, Sabarmati Riverfront in this regard.
The Chief Minister said that Gujarat has promoted a top-down approach and towards people-centric urban development. Not only this, the master plan of urban development has been prepared with totality and sustainable development has been kept as a core value at the center of every project.
The two-day summit will discuss in-depth topics such as water security, promoting digitization, mainstreaming women and children in urban development, including creating public awareness about the significant impact of climate change in urban areas.
The Chief Minister urged the mayors and city leaders participating in the summit that it is necessary to exchange best practices of their cities in all these areas. On this occasion, the Ambassador of Switzerland to India, Dr. The “Climate Resilient City Action Plan for Ahmedabad” prepared by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation was released in the presence of Ralph Heckner. The plan has been prepared in collaboration with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation to achieve net zero emissions by 2070.
Welcoming the delegates from India and abroad, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Kaushal Kishore said that India has been a leader in urban development since the ancient Harappan period and in today’s modern age too, India has been able to compete with other countries with its sustainable and unique features. is motivating. Initiative. The City 20 Mayoral Summit to be held today under the G20 Presidency of India will be the best medium to share best practices and specific initiatives being taken in developed cities of the world. The Union Minister of State expressed confidence that the urban development sector will play an important role in the discussions on various topics in the U20 Summit to be held in Gujarat during these two days.
The minister further said that the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Bhai Modi, has done the work of highlighting the rapid development of the country in front of the whole world through the G20 today. Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, India has rapidly implemented various policies such as solar and renewable energy, water security, housing for all, waste water reuse and solid waste management towards urban development and sustainable urb.sation. Along with this, India has made efforts towards making India self-reliant by uniting common people in missions like Make in India. India has provided many examples like digitization of government services under unsecured loans to women and stand up scheme.
The Union Minister said that today’s Urban-20 Summit will contribute significantly in ensuring high quality of life for the people and sustainable development of the world’s cities amid increasing urb.zation in the world. The Union Minister requested all the delegates to brainstorm towards realizing the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.
Mayor of Ahmedabad, the chairman city of Urban-20 6th series, welcomed everyone to Gujarat and said that with the increasing urb.zation in the world, U20 has gained immense importance. Focusing on economic and sustainable development, the U20 has addressed a range of issues such as climate change, digital transformation, city-level investment, health care, and more since the G20 summit joined the Paris Agreement.
Speaking on the occasion, Kevin Austin, Deputy Executive Director of “C40 Cities”, a partner org.zation of Urban-20, lauded Gujarat’s public transport system and said that public access has become easier in cities through metro and bus rapid transit systems. Also, Ahmedabad is the first city to have its own Advance Action Plan. In addition, he also pointed out the possibility of most cities becoming victims of global warming by 2050. He requested to take action in view of the possible climate crisis.
Ms Emilia Saez, Secretary General of the United Cities and Local Governments, said that there is a need for a new understanding of urban development. To encourage a new narrative and a new vision for the future, we need to do more to improve the quality of life of the poor, the underprivileged common people and become role models in urban development.
