'nation cannot aspire to become superpower if there is lack of

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman Tuesday said the nation cannot aspire to become a superpower if there is lack of infrastructure, proper public transport and basic amenities for its citizens.

"If people cannot have access to good roads, if people can't have good public transport like the metro rail, if people can't have the proper drinking water facility, even more basic -- if people can't have proper toilets, this country cannot aspire to become a superpower," she said.

She was addressing a gathering at the swapping of defence land at 10 places in Bengaluru with the state government.

Underlining that development was high on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's agenda, Sitharaman said the centre never differentiated between states just because they were ruled by different parties.

She stressed that infrastructure was the top priority when it came to giving 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', an important slogan of the Modi government.

The event was related to the swapping of land, ..