Surat on track to become India's first slum-free city: Gujarat govt

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Gujarat minister Jitu Vaghani on Wednesday said Surat was moving closer to becoming the country's first slum-free city with a population of 70-80 lakh.

Currently, Chandigarh holds the distinction of being the country's first slum free city with a population of 10 lakh. However, if Surat achieves the milestone, it will be the first city to be slum-free with a population of 70-80 lakh, he said.

Vaghani, who is Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister, was talking to reporters after a cabinet meeting in Gandhinagar chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat, he launched an initiative to make the state's towns and cities slum-free, the minister said.

In 2006, nearly 36 per cent of Surat's population lived in slum settlements which is now just five per cent after over the past two decades, Vaghani said.

In the cabinet meeting, the CM instructed officials to undertake phased and result-based efforts to make Surat a slum-free city.

The government would also ensure proper accommodation for the people of Surat while working to achieve the goal.