Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today said local bodies should always place citizens at the centre of civic governance.
He also said participation of people in formulating and planning projects and services will improve execution and delivery of the services.
Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the new building of Pune Municipal Corporation, Mr. Naidu said, as one of the cities selected under the Smart Cities Mission, Pune has the chance to become a trailblazer in urban governance by adopting a futuristic and people-centric approach.
The Smart Cities Mission seeks to develop cities into sustainable, resilient, inclusive and citizen-friendly urban centres and turn them into hubs of economic activities, he added.
The vice president said, local body representatives must work collectively, irrespective of political affiliations, to protect water bodies and prevent their encroachment.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar were present on the occasion.
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