USAID, Gates Foundation to Join in Clean India

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit that saw him take up the issue of hygiene and toilets for all Indians during his much-applauded talk at New York's Central Park has also led to the US aid agency USAID and the Gates Foundation join in his mission of improving water, sanitation and sewage in municipalities across India.

The prime minister's five-day visit, (Sep 26-30), also saw him discuss his plan of skill development for Indian youth and the development of smart cities and the two countries have also agreed to work together in these spheres, an official source said.

India and the US have also agreed to collaborate in the smart cities plan with India's urban development ministry in partnership with US firms to develop three Indian cities -- Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh), Ajmer (Rajasthan) and Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) as Smart Cities.

The US firms are to be the lead partners in the project, the source said.

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