PM Narendra Modi pitches India as investment destination for urbanization, mobility

AKIPRESS.COM - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched India as the most attractive investment destination for those looking to invest in urbanization, mobility, innovation and sustainable solutions, India Blooms reported.
Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum on November 17, he said India and some African nations will witness the biggest wave of urbanization over the next two decades.
The post pandemic world has to be rebuilt around people and cities will have to be made more livable, he said adding post-Covid restart will not be possible without a reset of mindset, process and practices. Modi said his government will deliver 10 million affordable houses before the 2022 deadline.
"Indian government which shall leave no stone unturned to make India a preferred global investment destination," he added.
Modi said despite "enormous challenges" posed by the coronavirus pandemic, Indian cities have presented an "extra-ordinary example" during these tough times. PM Modi said the post-World War era will provide lessons to deal in the post Covid era.
"I think the historic reconstruction efforts after the two world wars can give us several lessons. Post world wars, the entire world worked on a new world order. New protocols were developed and world changed itself. COVID-19 has also given us a similar opportunity to develop new protocols in every field."
"This opportunity should be grabbed by the world if we want to develop resilient systems for the future," he added. The Indian PM mentioned that during the pandemic, "technology has also helped us maintain continuity in our work."
"Thanks to a simple tool like video-conferencing, I can wrap up many more meetings. This has also helped me bridge the distance and talk to all of you. But this also poses an interesting question for a post-Covid world."
"Will we continue with the learnings of the Covid-times like Video-Conferencing? Or will we travel across continents to participate in a conference? Reducing stress on urban systems will depend on our choices," he noted.
As much as Indian Rupees 2 lakh crore ($31 billion) is being invested in 100 smart cities, he said adding that of this, projects worth Rupees 1.4 lakh crore ($23 billion) have been completed or are nearing completion. "If you are looking to invest in urbanization, mobility, sustainable solutions India has exciting opportunities for the world," he said.
These opportunities, he said, come along with a vibrant democracy, business-friendly environment and a big market. "India is well on its way for urban transformation," he said.