Addressing environmental concerns is key to sustainable development and there is a need to relook at rules regarding construction, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said.
"We need to seriously take a relook at the rules of construction and see if they can be rewritten to enforce green construction practices," he said.
Naidu was speaking at a conference on 'Sustainable and Inclusive Urban Development in India' organised by the Institute for Human Development, NITI Aayog, and the University of Florida here on Saturday.
"During the course of stakeholder consultations I listened to two presentations by Infosys and TERI on green construction practices leading to saving in energy," he said, adding that a pro-active approach was needed to promote sustainable urbanisation.
The smart cities mission intends to promote efficient use of resources through smart solutions with the objective of providing quality of life and a clean, sustainable environment, Naidu said.