Question : DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION



(a) whether a meeting of the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) has been held recently; and

(b) if so, the details of discussion held and decisions arrived thereat?

Answer given by the minister


MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SAUGATA ROY)

(a): Yes, Madam.

(b): Highlights of the discussions held and decisions taken in the Board meeting held on 11-11-2009 are as follows:-

(1) The revised budget of the Board for the financial year 2009-10 and the budget for the financial year 2010-11 has been approved.

(2) The Board has agreed to provide total financial assistance of Rs. 2700 crore during the financial years 2009-10 & 2010-11 to the participating states. To achieve these targets, the Board decided to raise resources from ADB/World Bank/KFW and domestic capital market.

(3) The Board approved a new scheme of Project Development Facility (PDF) to provide technical assistance to the participating states and their implementing agencies for project planning, formulation and development.

(4) The Board also took note of the decision of the Empowered Committee for undertaking new studies on social infrastructure, Health, Education, Economic Profile and Household industries in the National Capital Region (NCR). These studies are expected to identify gaps and target interventions/investment needs in the region.

(5) The Board approved inclusion of three more towns viz. Ambala in Haryana, Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh and Dehradun in Uttarakhand as Counter Magnet Areas, in addition to existing five Counter Magnet Areas (namely, Hissar, Barielly Kota, Gwalior and Patiala).

(6) The Board also approved a new Integrated Multi-modal Transportation Plan for NCR which includes the proposal for Roads (Expressways, National Highways, State Highways & other roads), Bus systems, bus terminals, new rail lines, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), MRTS, Airports, logistic hubs, integrated freight complexes, etc. in the region.

(7) The Board decided to initiate action for priority implementation of a region-wide rail based system connecting various metro/regional centres and sub-regional centres, which is considered necessary to widely share the benefits of economic density and agglomeration and thus to integrate leading and lagging areas of the NCR.

(8) Looking at the fast depletion of ground water resources in the region, the Board approved further course of action for Functional Plan on Ground Water Recharge in NCR. The Functional Plan highlights the need for recharging and techniques for implementing the same.

(9) Further, in view of many new developments in the area such as Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Dedicated Freight Corridors etc, the Board decided to initiate process for review of Regional Plan -2021, which is due in September 2010.

(10) The Board reviewed the progress of implementing common transport agreement signed by the states in the year 2009 for free movement of taxis/autos in NCR and requested the participating states to speedily implement and operationalize it.

(11) The Board also called on states to urgently conclude the common Transport Agreement for stage carriages between Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, which will facilitate seamless travel of vehicles in the entire region.

(12) The Board also discussed the feasibility of creating a Special Component Plan to finance infrastructure projects in NCR.