The Hon’ble Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA), Government of India Shri Manohar Lal , visited Puducherry today , to review the progress of various urban development schemes in the Union Territory.
The review meeting, held at Raj Niwas, Puducherry, saw the participation of the Hon’ble Lt. Governor Shri. K. Kailashnathan, Chief Minister Shri. N.Rangasamy ,Home, and Power Minister of Puducherry.
The Union Territory administration presented an update on the schemes under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). The Hon’ble Minister appreciated Puducherry’s efforts, particularly in the implementation of the PM SVANidhi and DAY NULM schemes, which have brought significant benefits to the local population. The UT administration also highlighted the recent progress under the Swachh Bharat Mission, particularly in the clearance of legacy waste over the past year. The Hon’ble Minister encouraged further improvements, aiming for better Swachhata rankings in the coming years.
During discussions on the Smart City Mission, the Hon’ble Minister emphasized the need to expedite the operationalization of the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC). He also reviewed the status of the PM e-Bus Sewa in Puducherry, assuring the required support from the Ministry to facilitate these initiatives.
The Hon’ble Minister then visited Chennai to assess the progress of the Chennai Metro Rail project, where he was joined by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Shri M.K. Stalin. The Government of India has recently pledged support for Phase II of the Chennai Metro project, spanning 118.9 km with a project cost of ₹63,246 crore, which includes 76.3 km of elevated and 42.6 km of underground corridors. The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to the Union Minister for this vital support.
The Hon’ble Minister highlighted that India currently has the third-largest metro network globally, behind only China and the USA. He emphasized that with the current pace of metro expansion, India aims to become the world leader in metro connectivity in the coming years, contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s unwavering support for the Chennai Metro project.
Additionally, the Hon’ble Minister reviewed the state’s progress in various urban development initiatives, including AMRUT, the Smart City Mission, PMAY(U), NULM, PM SVANidhi, and SBM. Senior state officials presented updates on these flagship schemes. The Minister urged the officials to enhance the multi-sectoral utilization of the Integrated Command and Control Centre created under the Smart Cities Mission.
A significant focus of the discussions was on the empowerment of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the state. The Hon’ble Minister expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved under the urban development schemes, reiterating the importance of cooperative federalism. He emphasized the need for the state and the Centre to work closely together to ensure that the benefits of all schemes reach the intended beneficiaries.
The visit of the Hon’ble Minister to Puducherry and Chennai marks a significant step towards accelerating the urban transformation of these regions, with the Government of India committed to supporting their progress towards sustainable and inclusive growth.