PM Modi unveils new MP flats, urges cleanliness contests and festival celebrations

Pointing to one tower named ‘Kosi,’ the prime minister dismissed any election link, saying the tradition of naming buildings after rivers was meant to unite, not divide

New Delhi: Inaugurating a complex of multi-storey flats for parliamentarians, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday suggested that the residential premises housing the MPs should celebrate India's different festivals and compete on cleanliness.

Taking a swipe at his rivals, he said some people may link Kosi, the name of one of the four towers christened after different rivers, to the upcoming Bihar assembly polls but he will tell such "small-minded" people that the tradition of naming towers after rivers unites people.

The new complex in Baba Kharak Singh Marg close to Parliament House comprises 184 type-VII multi-storey flats.

Modi said there had long been a shortage of residences for MPs and first-time members had to struggle to get a house. However, no new residence was built for Lok Sabha MPs between 2004 and 2014, when the Congress-led UPA was in power, and his government has constructed around 350 of them, he noted.

"The India of the 21st century is as sensitive as it is eager for development," he said, adding that his government built a new government secretariat, Parliament building and houses for MPs and also constructed over four crore homes for the poor, hundreds of medical colleges and provided piped water supply for households.

Old houses for MPs were in a poor state and posed several problems, the prime minister said, adding that lawmakers will face no such issue in these modern flats, each with a carpet area of over 5,000 sq ft.

When MPs are free of their own problems, they can use their time and energy more effectively on addressing people's problems, Modi said.

These flats will also help save money as the government spent a considerable sum in maintaining old houses, he added.

Noting that MPs from different states and regions will be staying in these premises, he said it will symbolise the idea of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat'. It will be a great move if festivals of different states are celebrated collectively, he said, adding that the MPs can ask their constituents to join them as well.

The prime minister said MPs living on the premises should consider it their duty to ensure that the place is identified with sustainability and cleanliness.

He said he will urge the ministry and the residential committee concerned if there can be a competition two to three times annually among the different premises housing MPs on cleanliness.

"It should be declared (after competition) that this particular block was found cleanest. Maybe, after a year, we can also announce which is the best and which is the worst."

The complex is designed to be self-sufficient and is equipped with a full range of modern amenities to address the functional needs of the members of the Parliament, according to a statement.

"Incorporating green technology, the project adheres to the standards of the GRIHA 3-star rating and complies with the National Building Code (NBC) 2016. These environmentally sustainable features are expected to contribute to energy conservation, renewable energy generation, and effective waste management," it said.

Each residential unit provides ample space for both residential and official functions, the statement said. The inclusion of dedicated areas for offices, staff accommodation, and a community centre will support MPs in fulfilling their responsibilities as public representatives, it said.