Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday termed the Urban Local Bodies the foundational institutions and the "first school and nursery" of democracy.  Addressing the national conference of Urban Local Bodies across the country in Manesar, Gurugram, in which Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harvinder Kalyan also addressed,  Saini said that when modern infrastructure delivers quality services to citizens, people feel confident in the local governance. "A developed India and a developed Haryana can only be achieved through developed cities," he said.   As the Chief Guest, Om Birla formally inaugurated the conference with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp.   Saini called Gurugram a model of urban development and said that five such modern cities are being set up under the Panch Gram Yojana along the 180-km Kundli Manesar Palwal corridor. The plan stands to benefit 75 lakh people, he said. He referred to several state and central schemes, such as the AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) scheme, Parivar Pehchan Patra, and Svamitva, to say that they brought ease into peoples lives. He said that every municipal corporation in Haryana is using digital tools and even Artificial Intelligence (AI). "The core mantra of our government is development with environmental sustainability," he said. The Chief Minister, while emphasizing the importance of strengthening and ensuring transparency in urban local bodies, said that Haryana is rapidly adopting e-governance to achieve this goal. Every municipal corporation in the state is now operating through digital portals, and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) are being utilized to address citizens concerns efficiently. He said that property tax, electricity billing, and solid waste management are being prioritized to enhance urban service delivery. The core mantra of our government is development with environmental sustainability, he said. To uphold this vision, the Chief Minister underscored the need to prioritize initiatives like rainwater harvesting, green buildings, solar energy, and the promotion of electric vehicles. He said that every municipal body in the state will have to prepare and implement a Green Action Plan. Furthermore, Haryana is accelerating efforts through initiatives such as the Amrit Sarovar and Jal Jeevan Mission to address the growing water crisis. To achieve garbage-free cities, he emphasized the need for 100 percent source segregation, the promotion of bio-CNG, and the adoption of a circular economy. He also reiterated Prime Minister Modis vision of slum-free cities, where every poor family has access to permanent housing, clean drinking water, quality infrastructure, and dignity. Highlighting progress under the PM Awas Yojana, he said that over 4 crore permanent houses have been constructed across the country for poor families. 

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