Setting the goals of enhancing liveability, economic activity and sustainability of the National Capital Region, the process of preparing a 20-year plan — the NCR Regional Plan 2041 — by September 2021 was kick-started by the government here on Monday.
Speaking at an inaugural conclave on NCR-2041 by the NCR Planning Board (NCRPB), Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra said the regional plan would have to be drafted “keeping citizens at the centre”. He added that improving the ranking of NCR cities on the ease of living index, boosting economic activity and opportunity, and furthering sustainability, would be the focus of the planning process.
Archana Agrawal, Member Secretary, NCRPB, said the population of the NCR, which comprises of Delhi, 13 districts of Haryana, nine of Uttar Pradesh and two of Rajasthan over 55,083 sq. km., was expected to increase from 6 crore now to 11 crore in 2041. Mr. Mishra added that with that population, the NCR would have a population similar to some countries like France and Italy.
The NCR Regional Plan 2021, which was supposed to guide the development of the region from 2001 till 2021, was only notified in 2005. When asked whether the 2041 plan would be ready in time, Mr. Mishra said it should be. Ms. Agrawal said the target would be September 2041.
Taking a critical look at the regional plan 2021, Mr. Mishra said many projections made in the plan had not come true and there was a need to “diagnose” this.
Apart from boosting employment overall, Mr. Mishra said there was also a need to integrate rural and urban sections of the NCR. He added that the concept of a natural conservation zone that was introduced in the 2021 plan for the first time needed to be made more effective.
Starting the process of collecting public feedback, the NCRPB invited suggestions on what the plan should include via a form on its website, Ms. Agrawal said.
