Incentive package for NCR states to boost infrastructure development

New Delhi, May 24 (UNI) Union Urban Development Minister and National Capital Region Planning Board Chairman S Jaipal Reddy today announced a performance-linked incentive package for the NCR states to boost infrastructure development in the region.

The incentive would be in the form of reduction in interest rate up to one per cent on the loan for projects on their conformity to the Regional Plan 2021, preparation and approval of District Plan, project cost adherence, and on Quality Assurance of the project, he said after inaugurating the 29th meeting of the NCR Planning Board.

This would make the financial assistance package to the participating states more attractive at 5.5 per cent interest rate for basic infrastructure projects, he said.

So far the NCRPB had funded projects worth Rs 8,600 crore, including Rs 2,350 crore through direct loans.

The Minister also released bilingual version of the Regional Plan 2021 at the meeting which was attended by Minister of State for Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja, Delhi Lt Governor B L Joshi, Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and Haryana Chief Minister B S Hooda, besides ministers from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and senior NCRPB officials.

The board decided to constitute a High Powered Group to identify solutions to problems of the NCR relating to landfill sites, power, water, pollution, greening and also suggest modes to finance them.

It was also decided to set up an Empowered Committee to coordinate and monitor various critical activities essential for making NCR a region of global excellence.

The meeting also focused the spotlight on preparation of Sub-Region Plans by the participating states in pursuance of the Regional Plan 2021. Further, the board would take-up preparation of Funtional Plans relating to water resources management, power generation, transmission and distribution, drainage and as effluent management, and transport system as well as pursue critical development projects in pursuance of the these plans.

The general consensus at the meeting was to take immediate steps to accelerate the pace of development of the NCR. It was agreed that the NCRPB should play a pro-active role in the development of the region by financing major Regional Projects.

The board also decided to bring structural and operational improvement in the NCR Planning and Monitoring Cells located in the participating states in order to give an impetus to capacity-building as well as facilitate intensive monitoring of various projects.

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