Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said that India is witnessing an urban renaissance and has been set in motion.

He said this while iInteracting with the Mayor of Houston, USA, Sylvester Turner, who called on the Vice President along with a high level trade and investment delegation including counselors, city planners, urban development officers and members of the Indo-American Business Chamber, in Mumbai today.

The Vice President said that Government’s initiatives such as Smart Cities, AMRUT Mission, Housing for all are changing the urban landscape by providing amenities to common man at an affordable price.

A good beginning has been made and it needs to be taken to its logical conclusion to realize a new and resurgent Urban India, he said.

With a new found spirit of confidence and a healthy competition among cities to improve urban amenities and quality of life of citizens, he added.

Naidu said that the ultimate aim of the Government is to recast the urban landscape of our country and to ensure decent living for the rapidly growing urban citizens besides making our cities and towns dynamic engines of economic growth.

The Vice President informed the delegation about the transformative changes brought into governance by the government, and said it empowered state and city governments in respect of project formulation and appraisal under new urban missions in conjunction with capacity building.

He said that as 70% of our urban population are residing in 500 cities and towns a comprehensive five year action plans for addressing infrastructure deficit in a focused manner are being prepared for the first time to have an affordable and sustainable urban infrastructure that is inclusive in nature.