Shri Kenichi Ogasawara, Vice-Mayor of Kyoto City of Japan today met Shri Shankar Aggarwal, Secretary(Urban Development) in connection with the plans for development of Varanasi city. Shri Ogasawara is in New Delhi to attend the 8th meeting of India-Japan Joint Working Group on Urban Development, held today. He will be visiting Varanasi tomorrow.
Shri Shankar Aggarwal suggested to the Kyoto Vice-Mayor to consider extending necessary cooperation for the development of Varanasi in the following areas:
1.Cleaning of Varanasi through effective management of solid and liquid waste;
2. Cost effective technologies for treatment of sewerage by run off the drain treatment instead of taking sewerage to a separate Sewerage Treatment Plant, which is cumbersome and costly;
3. Ways and means of effective traffic management including the possibility of introduction of Light Rail Transport with further low cost support from JICA;
4. Introduction of effective solar power generation technology for the benefit of large number of small traders of Varanasi, particularly, the weavers;
5. Improving urban planning and execution.
Shri Aggarwal suggested to the JICA officials who were also present in the meeting to consider if JICA could support infrastructure development in Varanasi at further liberalized low interest loans.
Shri Ogasawara and JICA officials said, the proposals made by Shri Aggarwal will be examined and would revert to the Ministry of Urban Development.
During the recent visit to Japan of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, a Sister City Partnership Agreement between Kyoto and Varanasi was signed.
AAR
October 29, 2014
Shri Shankar Aggarwal suggested to the Kyoto Vice-Mayor to consider extending necessary cooperation for the development of Varanasi in the following areas:
1.Cleaning of Varanasi through effective management of solid and liquid waste;
2. Cost effective technologies for treatment of sewerage by run off the drain treatment instead of taking sewerage to a separate Sewerage Treatment Plant, which is cumbersome and costly;
3. Ways and means of effective traffic management including the possibility of introduction of Light Rail Transport with further low cost support from JICA;
4. Introduction of effective solar power generation technology for the benefit of large number of small traders of Varanasi, particularly, the weavers;
5. Improving urban planning and execution.
Shri Aggarwal suggested to the JICA officials who were also present in the meeting to consider if JICA could support infrastructure development in Varanasi at further liberalized low interest loans.
Shri Ogasawara and JICA officials said, the proposals made by Shri Aggarwal will be examined and would revert to the Ministry of Urban Development.
During the recent visit to Japan of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, a Sister City Partnership Agreement between Kyoto and Varanasi was signed.
AAR
October 29, 2014
