Singapore is ready to help India make a "good decision" in realising its ambitious plan to develop 100 smart cities across the country, a senior minister said here today.
Singapore is ready to help India in developing its cities, including capital New Delhi, but it can only provide a vision whose implementation depends on the people and leadership of the country, Masagos Zulkifli, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs said.
"We can't help India, only India can help itself....We can only provide vision and its up to the government and the people in the country how they implement it," he told a group of visiting Indian journalists.
"Singapore could help that you get it right....Singapore is here to offer help," he said when asked how Singapore can help India in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plans to develop 100 smart cities.
Masagos said realising a vision is just a matter of political will and he is confident that Prime Minister Modi will be able to take India to new heights.
"I have no doubt that India can thrive like China," he said.
When asked about which are the area where India lacks the most, he replied, "It's planning."
With good basic planning everything else falls into place automatically when people and the government are determined to implement it, he said.
Elaborating on the Singapore model of smart cities, Masagos said Singapore as a city state always kept in mind its future needs while planning for current needs.
"Its important to figure out for whom you are building these cities....What are their needs," he said adding that on smart cities "we have a proposal on the table and we want them (India) to make a good decision."
The minister said India needs to resolve its land acquisition issues so that people get good compensation before being relocated to undertake such projects.
Singapore from its own experience can also help India in water management, he said.
Praising India's democratic structure, he said Singapore had fantastic relations with India and it would like to ensure that in the future too.
When asked whether Singapore wants to discourage expat workers by framing tough eligibility criteria, Masagos said the country is "addicted" to foreign workers and expats, who are able to contribute to the economy and productivity, are always welcome.
