Nath: New Master Plan will focus on next 25 yrs
Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit releases a coffee table book Delhi: Red Fort to Raisina, published by Roli Books
Lok Sabha on Monday passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (special provision) second bill, 2011.
Replying to the debate on the bill, Union urban development minister Kamal Nath promised to prepare a visionary plan that will take into account the
requirements for the next 25 years. Conceding that by the time a Master Plan is made ready, it becomes old as other developments overtake it, he said, “That is why I have asked Parliament to give me three years to prepare an appropriate Master Plan”. He added, “It has to be visionary, keeping next 25 years in mind”.
Describing urbanisation as a challenge, Mr Nath said that it is imperative to find a solution to unauthorised colonies. “The increasing pace of urbanisation is putting pressure on development. People migrate from rural to urban areas,” said Mr Nath. The Urban development minister also said that slums appeared in the capital for the first time in 1982 ahead of the Asian Games. He said, “About 90 per cent of the labourers who came from other states did not go back. The magnet is economic activity. We need to find some solution.”
Mr Kamal Nath proposed to double the housing units meant to be constructed for economically weaker sections to two lakhs from the current one lakh. Declaring that he has directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to focus on dwelling units for the poor and the marginalised, he said, “Slums will flourish till houses are provided to economically weaker sections”.
Responding to the sentiments of the members in the Lower House on granting statehood to Delhi, the minister agreed that it has been discussed and deliberated upon several times and that he would convey the views of the members to the Union home minister.
Stating that the revision of Master Plan has already begun, he said, “The review of MPD-2021 has already commenced and is expected to lead to the necessary modifications in the existing guidelines.”
He further said that the revised Master Plan would cover the whole of the National Capital Territory of Delhi that includes unauthorised colonies.
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