New Delhi: Singapore on Wednesday suggested a 'government to government' model of cooperation in building the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, which is proposed for inclusion in the 100 Smart Cities project.
A delegation led by former Prime Minister of Singapore Goh Chok Tong met Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and held an hour-long discussion exploring possible areas of cooperation between the two countries in urban development sector.
Goh suggested that Singapore is keen on the development of new capital of Andhra Pradesh which could be a model for replication and this could be taken up in a 'government to government' cooperation mode which would include the Central Government, Andhra Pradesh and Singapore, said a government statement.
His suggestion came after Naidu enquired about the broader contours of development of smart cities and the roles of the Centre and state governments.
Naidu informed the delegation that the Andhra Pradesh government is keen to develop the new capital as a smart city.
He told the visiting delegation that the suggestion of Singapore would be considered further and directed Urban Development Secretary Shankar Aggrawal to hold further talks with all those concerned, the statement said. Acknowledging that Singapore has one of the finest urban service delivery systems, Naidu appreciated their interest in cooperating with India in its efforts to convert rapid urbanization into an opportunity to spur economic growth.
Goh invited Naidu to visit Singapore for a first hand account of their expertise in smart urban management and also invited India to participate in the global 'livable cities' conference to be held in Singapore later.
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