The National Capital Region (NCR) just grew bigger by three full notches, nope huge districts, as it added Bhiwani and Mahendragarh districts of Haryana and Bharatpur of Rajasthan as part of it.
Their inclusion was approved by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) which will also soon take up proposals on Jind and Karnal districts.
"Based on the request of the participating states, the board today has approved the inclusion of Bharat in Rajasthan, Bhiwani and Mahendragarh in Haryana in the NCR.
The planning committee will also meet up shortly to take up Jind and Karnal," Urban Development minister Kamal Nath said today
after chairing the NCRPB meeting here.The NCR till now included nine Haryana districts, five districts of Uttar Pradesh, Alwar in Rajasthan and the National Capital Territory (NCT).
The minister said that the NCRPB had also approved the Rajasthan’s request for identification of Jaipur as counter-magnet area, which can act as "interceptors" of migratory flows into NCR due the accelerated development and also as regional growth centres, that would be able to achieve
a balanced pattern of urbaniastion.
The board also approved the sub-regional plan for UP sub-region. Nath also said the Regional Plan 2021 was reviewed and the draft revised regional plan 2021 prepared by the NCRPB in consultation with the participating states and stake-holders has been approved for inviting objections and suggestions from the public under the provisions of the NCRPB Act.
He said there has been 62 percent urbanisation in the NCR and this is expected to go to 73 percent by the year 2021, when it will become the highest urbanised area in the country. Noting that the per capita income in the region was the highest in the country and the NCR was a very important hub of economic activity, he stressed on the need to improve Delhi's connectivity with adjoining areas.
Nath told reporters that the per capita income of the NCR region had consistently been higher than the rest of the country. He spoke for having an efficient mass transport system as a driver of economic development and highlighted the need for a regional rapid transit system in the NCR. He said the expenditure finance committee had recommended setting up of a National Capital Region Transport Corporation for implementation of RRTS which in Phase-I will connect Delhi-Panipat (111 km), Delhi-Alwar (180 km) and Delhi-Meerut (90 km).
He said that the matter would be taken up in the cabinet soon. Giving more details, Nath said that the work on the three corridors would start soon and would be completed by 2016 and NCRPB would contribute Rs 200 crore to begin the work on one of the lines. Nath said that the NCR region must grow simultaneously to reduce pressure on infrastructure of Delhi.
At the meeting, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit had spoken of the burden on capital's resources due to influx from neighbouring areas. Nath said to reduce Delhi's burden states should create infrastructure related to health, sewage treatment and night shelters. He said that the housing and urban poverty alleviation ministry had agreed to provide 50 of funds for 24 hour shelters and another 20 percent would be provided by NCRPB.
