Minister of Urban Development M.Venkaiah Naidu has said that regional planning for the development of National Capital Region has resulted in decline in the growth of population of Delhi over the years. He spoke of the positive outcomes of regional development planning while chairing a meeting of the National Capital Region Planning Board here today. Shri Naidu said that the population growth of Delhi has come down from 47% in 1991-2001 to 21.20% during 2001-11 as a result of decline in migration to Delhi and out migration from Delhi which proves that the objectives of setting up the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) are being achieved. He further said that NCRPB is a unique model of inter-state regional cooperation and development in the country. Delhi and some parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan constitute the National Capital Region accounting for about 5 crore population. NCRPB enables balanced growth and harmonious development in the region through regional planning.
Stating that the level of urbanization in the National Capital Region is 62.60% which is the highest in the country, Shri Naidu said it calls for special attention to address infrastructural and environmental challenges. He asked the member states of National Capital Region to be more pro-active in formulation and implementation of Sub-Regional Plans with particular emphasis on infrastructure development. Shri Naidu urged the member stated to be guided by the principle of ‘Skill, Speed and Scale’ suggested by the Prime Minister to speed up development of the region. He noted that the spirit of ‘Team India’ inherent in planning for National Capital Region should be taken full advantage of.
At the 35th Meeting of the NCRPB held today, various agenda items were discussed in detail. The meeting was also attended by the Haryana Chief Minister Shri Manoharlal Khattar, Delhi’s Minister of Public Works Department Shri Satyendra Jain, Rajasthan’s Minister of Urban Development Shri Rajpal Shekhawat and Deputy Chairman of UP’s Planning Board Shri N.C. Bajpayee besides the Chief Secretaries and senior officials of member states. Shri Madhusudhan Prasad, Secretary(Urban Development), Ms.Nandita Chatterjee, Secretary(HUPA) and senior officials from the two urban ministries and NCRPB and concerned central ministries also attended the meeting.
The following were the outcomes of the two hour long meeting of the National Capital Region Planning Board :
1.The Haryana Government has agreed to have a 500 metre buffer zone for the protection of Mangar Bani green cover at Mangar village in Faridabad district of Haryana. Chief Minister of Haryana Shri Khattar informed the Board that the government has reconsidered the earlier proposal of having a 60 metre buffer zone and Mangar Bani along with the buffer zone will be declared as a ‘No Construction Zone’. The Haryana Government had earlier proposed 60 metre buffer zone when Shri Bhupinder Hooda was the Chief Minister.
2. Jind and karnal districts of Haryana and Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh have been included in the National Capital Region. The Board decided that a set of criteria will be evolved for considering new proposals for inclusion in NCR from the member states keeping in view the level of infrastructure development in the region.
3. Board decided to set up a Committee to examine various aspects of the proposal of the Government of Rajasthan for changing the alignment of proposed Regional Rapid Transport System between between Delhi and Alwar and instead to connect Delhi with Sotanala Industrial Area.
4. Board decided to constitute a Committee for delineation of National Capital Region with the objective of promoting development along growth corridors like National Highways, State Highways and Railways as against the current practice of including whole districts in NCR.
5.Haryana will maintain status quo in respect of identified Natural Conservation Zones in respect of forest lands till the Ministry of Environment and Forests come out with the definition of forest areas.
6.On the request of member states, the Urban Development Minster who is also the chairman of NCRPB directed the Board’s Secretariat to examine the feasibility of further reducing the interest rate on loans being extended by the Board for power projects in consultation with member states. The Board has already reduced the interest rates from 9.25% to 7.50% with an incentive of 0.25% reduction for timely payment of loan instalments.
7.Board directed the member states to speed up delineation of Natural Conservation Zones through ground truthing.
8. Board has delegated powers to Member-Secretary of NCRPB to approve functional plans in respect of infrastructure projects to speed up decision making and implementation of projects besides enhanced financial powers to engage consultants. Venkaiah Naidu urged the Ministry of Environment and Forests & Climate Change to expedite finalization of the definition of ‘forest’ to enable the member states delineate forest areas.