New Delhi, Aug 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the 21st-century India is moving forward to become 'viksit (developed)' while also keeping in mind the needs of every section of society, from parliamentarians to the poor.

He said this during the inauguration of the 184 newly constructed Type-VII multi-storey flats for Members of Parliament at Baba Kharak Singh Marg in New Delhi on Monday.

Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said, "The India of the 21st century is as eager to become 'viksit' as it is sensitive. Today, the country builds Kartavya Path and Kartavya Bhavan, while also fulfilling its duty of delivering piped water to millions of citizens."

"Today, when the country builds new residences for its parliamentarians, it also does a 'grah pravesh (house warming)' celebration for the poor through PM Awas Yojana. While building new residences for MPs, the country is also constructing hundreds of new medical colleges. The benefits of all this are reaching every class and every community," he added.

Praising the sustainable approach taken while developing the new housing complex for the parliamentarians, the Prime Minister said that this is part of the government's "pro-environment and pro-future safe initiatives", adding that the country is "continuously advancing" the focus on sustainable development.

The new flats, according to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), feature "environmentally sustainable" elements aimed at promoting energy conservation, renewable energy generation, and efficient waste management.

Built with an emphasis on sustainability, it incorporates green technology, adheres to the GRIHA 3-star rating standards, and complies with the National Building Code (NBC) 2016, the PMO said in a statement.

PM Modi also called on the parliamentarians from different parts of the country to live in harmony and celebrate their culture with everyone here.

"Today, I request you all to hold occasional celebrations of regional festivals of different parts of the country, as the MPs from across India would be residing in this complex. You can call the people from your region here and celebrate these festivals and also teach each other different languages and dialects," he said.

Stressing the importance of cleanliness, the Prime Minister said, "I hope we will all work as a team, and our efforts will become a role model for the nation. I would also request the ministry and your housing committee to consider organising cleanliness competitions between the different MP housing complexes, two or three times a year. Then it could be announced which block was found to be the cleanest. After a year, we could also decide and declare which is the best and which is the worst."

The PMO noted that the project was initiated to address the shortage of adequate housing for MPs. With limited land availability, the emphasis has been on vertical housing to optimise land use and reduce maintenance costs.

Each unit spans approximately 5,000 square feet of carpet area, offering space for both residential and official purposes. The flats include five rooms, two guest rooms, two servant rooms, and dedicated office spaces.

"When I first went to see these flats... they gave me a tour, and I was surprised as they are big enough. I don't think you will be able to fill up all the rooms. I hope that you bring them to good use and your professional and personal life flourishes here," he concluded.

(IANS)

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