LUCKNOW: Taking a cue from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh is set to introduce UP Town and Country Planning Act, with an agenda to aggressively promote urbanisation in the state.
Under the plan, a town and country planning directorate will be set up, which will govern the development not only within the housing development authorities but also within urban local bodies.
Officials said that the new Act is needed to define the responsibility of both government and local community to mutually achieve economic growth and development across the urban pockets as well as hinterland.
In fact, town planning schemes and local area plans for the directorate will also implement uniform building bylaws and guidelines.
Similarly, the directorate would work in tandem with the housing department of the state government to provide its feedback over the linkages and connectivity routes required to improve accessibility in the remote and cut off areas.
The development in areas which fall outside the limits of the housing development authorities would be governed by a local planning authority to be constituted under the Act.
The government would also have the option of turning local bodies into local planning authorities to implement the bylaws as per the draft bill which would be advertised for feedback in the coming days.
The housing board (Avas Vikas Parishad) would continue to work independently and launch schemes in places where it gets land.
Moreover, on the outskirts and hinterlands the government agencies will have the mandate of coming up with planning schemes while developing the area on a no-profit-no-loss model.
“The government body or agency will construct roads, drains, sewerage system, water supply and calculate the cost for providing the basic infrastructure.
The land will be distributed proportionally between farmers and government agencies later on as per a prescribed formula. The government agency would only get the amount of land which is equivalent to the cost that had been incurred while providing basic infrastructure.
“The local community would reap the benefits as they would be able to market developed land to the potential buyers,” said a senior officer.
Additional chief secretary of the housing department, Nitin Ramesh Gokarn said, “The draft bill is going to be uploaded on the website of the housing department and Awas Bandhu. Objections and suggestions of the public and stakeholders will be collected till March 31 post which public hearings would take place.
“Post that, we would ask the state government to frame new rules,” he said.
