M Venkaiah Naidu speaks to Maha CM regarding Metro Foundation Stone programme

Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu called up Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and spoke to him after reports emerged that Chavan has decided to skip the programme for the laying of the foundation stone for the Metro project by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Nagpur today.

Naidu sought to impress on Chavan that the Nagpur Metro Rail Project is a joint venture of the Centre and the Maharashtra Government and it is imperative for the CM to attend the programme as planned earlier, to send out right message.

Naidu elaborated that PM Modi firmly believes in cooperative federalism and is keen about states playing a due role in developmental initiatives, with the Centre acting as a catalyst.

However, according to sources, Chavan, expressed his inability to attend the programme.

Regarding Chavan's reported comments that the state government was not informed about the status of approval of the Union Cabinet for the Nagpur Metro Project and receiving invitation late yesterday, sources informed that Union Urban Development Ministry officials have been in regular contact with their counterparts in the state government.

Sources further said that since the Union Cabinet was to formally consider the Nagpur Metro Project late yesterday evening, it was not felt appropriate to send a formal invitation to Maharashtra CM taking the Union Cabinet's approval for granted.

However, on being insisted upon, Naidu had sent a formal invitation yesterday.

Sources further informed that Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, in whose constituency the Metro Project is being taken up, has been in touch with the state government.

Sources also informed that the Maharashtra government played a pro-active role in connections with the foundation stone laying programme including making arrangements for media and other logistics.

State government and union urban development ministry have exchanged draft advertisements to be issued.

Since the state government was to issue advertisements in local newspapers, the Union Urban Development Ministry decided to issue advertisements only in some Delhi-based papers.

According to sources, Naidu was disappointed with Chavan's decision.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the super thermal power project at Mouda Maharashtra's Nagpur city, where he had stressed upon the importance of infrastructure and the need for electricity to reach in every corner of the nation.