Singapore shows interest in developing a new smart satellite city in India

Committees to be set up to firm up specific areas of cooperation in urban sector Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu holds detailed discussion with present and former PMs of Singapore

Singapore has shown keen interest in partnering with India in the urban development sector, including development of a new smart satellite city and a new capital for the state of Andhra Pradesh. Top leadership of Singapore conveyed their areas of interest during the extensive talks that the Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu held today with Singapore’s Prime Minister Shri Lee Hsien Loong and former Prime Minister and Emeritus Minister shri Goh Chok Tong in Singapore, in separate meetings. During the talks, both the sides decided to set up Committees to further examine and concretise the areas of cooperation between the two countries in the context of India’s initiative to build 100 news smart cities, develop infrastructure in 500 towns and cities, development of heritage cities and massing urban housing programme. Singapore reiterated its keenness to take up the project of developing the new capital of Andhra Pradesh which was first indicated during the recent visits of Shri Goh Chok Tong to India. Shri Venkaiah Naidu and the Singapore leaders spent considerable time in acquainting each other with India’s initiatives in urban sector and the experiences of Singapore leadership in making the city state as one of the models of smart city. The two top leaders of Singapore acknowledged that there is a new sense of purpose, dynamism and action in India since Shri Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister. Shri Venkaiah Naidu sough Singapore’s assistance in promoting smart city features like Intelligent Transport Systems, e-urban governance including delivery of services, water management including recycling and solid waste management. Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu visited the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Centre for Liveable cities and held extensive discussions about Singapore’s public housing shemes and regulatlons for private housing. Means of financing of urban transport infrastructure was also discussed.