UK minister lends support to build smart cities, boost job opportunities

New Delhi, Aug.12 (ANI): The United Kingdom will share its skills and expertise to drive forward India's vision for new smart cities and boost opportunities for new businesses, UK International Development Secretary Priti Patel announced today. On the first day of her visit to India, Patel met with the Minister for Urban Development M. Venkaiah Naidu. She said that the UK's support for India's urban development will generate new job opportunities for India's poorest, strengthening the UK-India partnership that was set out during Prime Minister Modi's historic visit to the UK last year. Patel said: "I am here meeting my Ministerial counterparts to make sure that the UK's skills and expertise ?in areas like finance, job creation and infrastructure are used to support Prime Minister Modi's ambitious plans for the economic ? development of India's great and burgeoning cities." She added, "We will help India to make its urbanisation work and make cities real engines of growth ?by boosting business and creating employment -not least by ensuring British businesses are aware of the opportunities that exist for them by getting involved in this ambitious work." "It's by working together on long-term projects like this and involving the private sector that we will take our strong partnership to the next level to deliver prosperity, investment opportunities and growth for both India and the UK." The UK support announced by Patel will come from the UK's Department for International Development and includes technical support for India's 'Smart Cities Mission' which will see British expertise boost urban development in India by helping plan, design and build smart cities, which will in turn create jobs, growth and prosperity for both India and the UK. It will bring UK experience in areas such as infrastructure, clean energy, governance, security, water and waste management. Patel will continue her visit to India tomorrow, where she will further build on the important partnership between the UK and India. (ANI)