‘In race to progress, Surat has outpaced all cities’

Surat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed Surat as a glittering example of development ushered with unflinching peoples' participation and said that it has raced ahead of several Indian cities in the pace of progress. Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects worth Rs 3,471 crore.
"A unique quality of Surat is that the city respects hard work and appreciates talent to fulfil dreams and aspirations of all those who make it their home. In fact, people here handhold those missing the development bus and give them more opportunities. This spirit is the biggest inspiration for India's development as we celebrate 75 years of independence," the PM said to a rapturous crowd.
Referring to the 3Ps (public private partnership), Modi said Surat is an example of 4Ps, one which includes ‘people.’ “This model has helped Surat craft its unique identity,” he said, describing how the city has emerged as one of the world’s fastest growing cities by turning the tables on natural calamities like floods and epidemics (plague) and a disinformation campaign that followed.
“In the last decades, Surat has developed more rapidly than other cities of its size in India. It’s proudly mentioned as one of the cleanest cities. Hundreds of kilometres of drainage network and the sewage treatment capacity breathed new life into the city and kept it free of filth,” he said. Modi also took a swipe at the Congress-led UPA government for delaying the airport for the city. “We were tired of convincing the then government in Delhi about the importance of airport growth for Surat. Today, we have so many flights,” Modi said.
Noting how the number of slums in the city have reduced considerably over the last 20 years and that 80,000 houses have been made for the slum dwellers, Modi said, “This has resulted in a significant increase in the improvement in quality of life.”
Talking about the welfare schemes for the poor, Modi over four lakh people from Surat have benefitted from Ayushman Bharat and PM Svanidhi yojanas.