The book, packed in 22 chapters, provides in-depth and detailed information on different aspects of urban development. Issues, such as education, health, power, transport, stray animals, tourism, water, greenery, pollution, waste and sanitation management, disaster management, adulteration, crimes, social life, civic infrastructure, encroachment, unauthorized construction and illegal colonies, which the people in Delhi have been confronting for long, have been covered under the book. As Delhi is the national capital and the mirror of the country, the author has attempted to focus on the development of it as a role model of the urban India, to be replicated by others in respect of issues that affect the day-to-day life of a common man, people of all age groups, sex, religion, region, poor and rich, students, public and private sectors, bureaucrats, businessmen, industrialists and politicians. The book will be of immense value to policymakers, programme planners, public and private sectors, NGOs, social workers, environmental workers, educationists, developmental practitioners and the Delhiites who dream to see Delhi as "a world-class city".

The Part-2 of the book packed in 10 chapters provides in-depth and detailed information on important issues like civic agencies and service delivery, governance, democracy, election, legislature, bureaucracy, judiciary, reservation and taxation. The book will be of immense value to policy makers, programme planners, public and private sectors, NGOs, social workers, environmental workers, educationists, developmental practitioners and the Delhiites who dream to see Delhi, “A World Class City”.

Hundreds of social and developmental schemes supported by Central and State Governments including external agencies are in place in the country for more than a decade. There are other flagship programmes of the government such as AMRUT, HRIDAY, NULM, DAY-NRLM, PMAY-G, PMSSY, SAGY, JNNURM, GRKY, SPMRM, PURA including Smart Cities Mission with their main aim to make India Smart. Most of the schemes have no clear aims and objectives, no time-bound work plan and no monitoring and evaluation framework. Expected output, outcome and impact are also missing. Accountability, responsibility, transparency and synergy with other programmes are absolutely ‘No’. After the scheme is closed, no body bothers about the results, their socio-economic impact and long-term sustainability of the gains achieved. Piece meal approach is not going to make any difference in living standard of the countrymen. Need is for smart and holistic approach covering the whole country-both rural and urban India. The Book packed in 5 chapters provides in depth and detailed information on smart and holistic development of urban and rural India. The important areas covered in the book are: 1) Smart Cities Mission and Other Programmes, 2) Developing Delhi, A Role Model of Smart India, 3) Developing Dwarka, A Role Model of Sub-Cities, 4) Developing Rural Delhi, A Role Model of Khushhaal Bharat and 5) Action Plan in Project Mode.

Education is the process of learning or the acquisition of knowledge, skill, values, beliefs and habits. Education is becoming an important part of every one’s life. Education was strong in ancient days also. The system changed with passage of time such as Vedic, Brahmanical, Muslim, British periods etc. Today, education is oriented to promote values of an urban, competitive consumer society. Through the existing education system in the last five decades, the country has excelled in different fields and made a mark at the National and International levels. There is a need to regulate our education system at different levels – from primary to higher education. There is also need to remove deficiencies and short comings in our education system. All these issues have been covered under nine chapters of the book.

Rejuvenation is about improving upon our wellbeing and personal state. This is about adding things that nourish and energize us. This includes healthy food and exercise, and, also activities that stimulate the mind and our creativity. Tattva Spa is a relaxation therapy that combines long, following strokes with gentle kneading techniques. This massage focusses on promoting circulation, easing muscular tension, and inducing deep relaxation. The effective strategies to recover after a workout are 1) Hydration, 2) Cool down and stretching, 3) Nutrition and Refuelling, 4) Rest and Sleep, 5) Active Recovery and Massage and 6) Listen to your body. Restoration wellness also has a profound impact on our mental and emotional well-being. Practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and positive affirmation can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. By taking care of our mental health, we can improve our mood, increase our resilience, and enhance our overall emotional well-being. All the issues related to mind, Body and Spirit are covered under 7 chapters of the book.

Our health is deeply connected to that of the environment. The high levels of pollution and deep garbage dumps add to the toxicity. The wild fires around the world due to heat waves are adding to the pollution and disease. Animal Agriculture is a leading cause of climate change. Increase in animal population creates a total imbalance in environment. Need is to use animal produce judiciously. Life cannot function without the sun, air, plants, and water. The resources that the earth gives us are limited. We human beings have become selfish and are rapidly exploiting the earth’s resources. Need is to protect them to save our lives. Earth is the only known planet in the universe that provides various natural resources for the existence of life. By utilizing these resources, all living things can survive. There is need to inspire people to promote a cleaner, greener and more equitable future for everyone around the world. All these issues have been covered under 7 chapters of the book.

The book covers different issues in agriculture. The author has pooled the knowledge of many experts and practitioners in the field of agriculture and allied sectors. The main Aims and Objectives covered in the book are: 1) Enhance Production and Productivity for food and nutritional security, 2) Improve profitability through agro-processing and value addition and 3) Sustainability through training, skill development, entrepreneurship and communication. Stagnation in productivity, shrinking farm size, inadequate market infrastructure including warehousing and cold storage, and erosion of the foundations of sustainable agriculture such as soil and gene erosion, water logging, drop in ground water table and decline in surface irrigation are the areas that need urgent attention. There is need to pay attention to rural non-farm enterprises. All these issues in-depth have been covered under 40 chapters in the book. I am confident that the book would be of immense help to farmers, field officials, students and many others who directly or indirectly involved with agriculture and rural development.