New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Wednesday met Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde and discussed Mumbai`s development with him, an official statement said on Wednesday.
The statement said that Luxon is on a visit to Mumbai. He took keen interest in the city’s transformation and ongoing development projects during his meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The meeting took place at Raj Bhavan, where Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan hosted a lunch in honor of the visiting Prime Minister.
During the discussion, Deputy CM Shinde shared details about several key initiatives aimed at improving the city. He spoke about efforts to provide homes to ordinary people by eliminating slums and also highlighted the steps taken to enhance Mumbai`s economic capacity, which serves as the country’s growth engine. One of the major projects discussed was the “Deep Clean” initiative, which aims to improve cleanliness within the city, the official statement said.
The Deputy CM also spoke about improvements in Mumbai’s transportation system, such as the Mumbai Coastal Road and the Atal Setu Bridge, which have helped smoothen traffic flow, it said.
It further said that he also mentioned the positive impact of the metro system in improving daily commuting for Mumbai’s residents.
The Prime Minister showed interest in the environmental measures being taken in the city, asking questions about the steps being taken to address environmental concerns.
Another topic of discussion was the promotion of yoga from a health perspective, with both leaders sharing their views on how it should be spread further.
The high-level New Zealand delegation accompanying the Prime Minister also participated in discussions on various subjects such as green energy, sports, education, agricultural technology, and fisheries.
The lunch event was attended by several key officials, including Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, Speaker of the Legislative Council Prof. Ram Shinde, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Rahul Narwekar, Tourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai, and Minister of State for Protocol Jaykumar Rawal. On New Zealand’s side, notable attendees included former Governor-General of New Zealand, Sir Anand Satyanand, cricketer Ajaz Patel, officials from the Prime Minister’s office, and other diplomats, the official statement said.
