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Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta on Tuesday said that the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 can be realised only when India's cities emerge as centres of innovation, good governance, sustainability, technological excellence and human values.
He stressed that future cities must be smart as well as inclusive, environmentally responsible and citizen-centric to lead India's journey towards becoming a developed nation. The Governor was addressing the inaugural session of Future Cities Forum 2026 on the theme 'India's Cities: Leading the Growth of Viksit Bharat', organised by a local Pune daily. Congratulating the organisers for the visionary initiative, Gupta said that the Forum was not merely an event but a significant national platform for shaping the future of urban development in India. He observed that India stands at a defining moment in its history, where its aspirations extend beyond economic growth to building a prosperous, self-reliant and developed nation. He said that the vision of Viksit Bharat, envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requires cities to become engines of economic growth, centres of innovation and models of sustainable development. "Cities today are not merely clusters of roads and buildings. They are centres where opportunities are created, ideas take shape, industries flourish and the nation's economy gathers momentum. If India aspires to become one of the world's leading economies, its cities must also evolve into world-class urban centres," he said. Emphasising the need for balanced urban development, Gupta said that future cities must not only be technologically advanced but also sensitive to the needs of citizens. He called for urban centres that are inclusive, safe, clean, green and environmentally sustainable while preserving India's rich cultural heritage alongside modern infrastructure. The Governor said that meaningful progress could only be achieved through collaboration among governments, urban local bodies, industry, educational institutions and civil society. He expressed confidence that the deliberations at the Forum would generate practical ideas capable of influencing public policy and contributing to people-centric urban development. He wished the Future Cities Forum 2026 great success and expressed hope that it would emerge as a catalyst for new ideas, innovation and sustainable urban development in the years ahead. (ANI)
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