PM Modi invites Australian businessmen to participate in smart cities plan (Update:Modi)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Australian businessmen to participate in India's ambitious plans for smart cities to cater its growing urban population here on Monday.

Addressing the business community at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Premier of Queensland this morning, Prime Minister said, "We have launched Make in India as a new mission to promote manufacturing in India. Creating world class infrastructure, 100 Smart cities; Metro projects for 50 cities; modern waste management system for 500 cities; affordable healthcare within everyone's reach; sanitation for all by 2019; a roof over every head by 2022; electricity in every household;Clean Energy - with special focus on solar energy; energy efficiency, Water conservation, Clean Ganga Programme , which is also a major urban renewal and environment protection programme."

"You can participate in India's ambitious plans for smart, sustainable, habitable cities to cater to its growing urban population. It is expected that nearly 11 percent of the world's urban population in 2025 will be in India," he said.

Praising Queensland and Brisbane for its hospitality, Prime Minister Modi said, "I am honoured and very encouraged by this large turnout.

Congratulations to Queensland and Brisbane for hosting such a wonderful G20. For the past few days, you have shown what a world class city you are. Queensland's economy has been performing well, on basis of your traditional strengths in areas like tourism, resources and agriculture, but also through your investments in areas of advanced technologies and services. This is a tribute to your leadership and to the government and business in Queensland. Queensland can take justifiable pride in its success in the tourism sector."

He said that Queensland can be an important partner in India's development in the area of energy, mineral resources, agriculture, education, skill development and food security and expressed his delight to be here.

Pointing about Queensland taking major steps to boost economic and trade ties with India, Prime Minister Modi added, "You have sent a number of trade missions to India. Just this September, there was a Queensland-Gujarat Energy Roundtable in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat. And, I am naturally pleased that Queensland will be participating in Vibrant Gujarat in January 2015 to showcase your infrastructure capabilities. I know that you are not partial to Gujarat, but you are sending delegations to Kolkata and Delhi and elsewhere! The second reason is that today, India is your fourth largest export destination. For us, Queensland is emerging as a major investment destination."

Prime Minister Modi said that India wants an integrated partnership in joint research to improve yield and farm productivity which will help develop agriculture supply, chain infrastructure and food processing.

He further added that India-Australia relationship is comprehensive, involving economic cooperation, a growing security and strategic partnership and increasing cooperation in international forums, which are vital for peace, stability and prosperity.

Prime Minister Modi also drew the attention of the business community here about a slew of reform measures initiated by his government in areas like defence, railways and insurance.

Prime Minister Modi asserted that good governance is the starting point of change. He said," In the area of processes, changing the way we work as government. Good Governance is the starting point of change. It is as important to business as it is to ordinary citizens. Eliminating unnecessary laws and regulations, making processes easier and shorter, ensuring that our government is more transparent. Focus on ease of doing business. We are partnering with state governments and even going doing to districts and villages."

After attending the business breakfast meet Prime Minister Modi then left for Sydney where he is set address a rally later in the day which is expected to draw more than 16,000 members of the Indian diaspora at Allphones Arena.