Gandhinagar, Dec 31 (IANS) Surat is emerging as a frontrunner to become India’s first major slum-free city with a population exceeding 70 lakh, reflecting the long-term impact of the ambitious urban reforms initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, said spokesperson minister Jitu Vaghani on Wednesday.

Briefing the media after a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Vaghani said that over the past two decades, the population living in slum areas in Surat has drastically reduced from 38 per cent in 2006 to just about 5 per cent at present.

As a result, slum areas in the city have become almost negligible, creating favourable conditions for Surat to be declared the state’s first slum-free metropolitan city.

The minister said that Prime Minister Modi had launched a visionary initiative to make cities and metros slum-free by improving the living standards of people residing in informal settlements.

Continuous efforts in housing, infrastructure and rehabilitation have led to significant improvements in Surat’s urban landscape.

Taking note of the current situation, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, during the cabinet meeting, directed the Chief Secretary and senior officials to undertake focused, result-oriented action to make Surat Gujarat’s first slum-free city.

He also instructed officials to initiate phased efforts to replicate the Surat model across other cities and metropolitan areas in the state.

Vaghani pointed out that if Surat achieves this milestone, it will become the country’s first large slum-free city.

While Chandigarh holds the distinction of being India’s first slum-free city, its population is around 10 lakh, whereas Surat’s population is estimated between 70 and 80 lakh, making the achievement far more significant in terms of scale and complexity.

The state government, he added, is committed to extending similar slum-free initiatives across Gujarat to ensure inclusive urban development and improved quality of life for all citizens.

–IANS

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