January 23, 2002

    The Minister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation and Chairman of the NCR Planning Board, Shri Ananth Kumar, has emphasized the need for preparing a pragmatic and implementable Regional Plan based on consensus for the development of National Capital Region (NCR).

    Inaugurating the two-day National Seminar on ‘Regional Plan – 2021 for NCR’ here today, Shri Ananth Kumar said that building a consensus about the development of NCR among all stakeholders, particularly among the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh would be a pre-requisite for the success of such a Plan.

    "Regional Plan for NCR should be formulated after due deliberations and consultations among all stakeholders, Central and State Governments, public, private and joint sectors, corporate bodies, town planners and other concerned agencies", the Minister added.

    Stating that planning NCR as an economically vibrant, spatially efficient and socially equitable entity is "a Herculean task", Shri Ananth Kumar pointed out that regulatory, legislative and developmental framework for NCR has already become dated due to rapid growth of population in the national capital.

    "By the time, the Plan takes a formal shape, the ground realities in the region change dramatically due to influx of population in Delhi from other regions. The Plan envisaged for the year 2021 might not be viable even in the year 2011. Therefore, the need of the hour is to prepare a Plan, which is viable, implementable and takes into account social, economic and political factors, which affect the contours of the Plan" the Minister added.

    In his welcome speech, Member Secretary, NCR Planning Board, Shri Ashok Jha, stated that the urban agglomeration of Delhi has recorded an average annual growth rate of more than 50 per cent since 1951, which is higher than that of any of the four largest mega cities in India. However, according to 2001 census, the population growth has slightly come down to 46 per cent. He stressed the need for formulating harmonized policies for the development of social and economic infrastructure in the National Capital Region so as to avoid any haphazard development of the Region.

    The Seminar, organized by the Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation and National Capital Region Planning Board is being attended by representatives of Governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, local authorities, Town Planners and experts.