Karnataka will formulate urban development policy: Suresh Kumar

Bangalore, Sep 1 (UNI) The Karnataka Government is planning to formulate Comprehensive Urban Development Policy, for systematic growth of towns and cities, Law, Parliamentary and Municipal Administration Minister Suresh Kumar said today.

Talking to newspersons after chairing a meeting of the commissioners of all the District Urban Development Authorities here, Mr Kumar said at present there was no such policy which was applicable to the entire state.

The policy, with a vision for next 30 to 40 years would be formulated after discussing with the Urban development and planners, he said adding that it would be subjected to public scrutiny before making it a law.

''Presently, only in Delhi, such a policy is in force'' he said.

The state urban bodies have been instructed to identify land and reserve it for distribution to public for construction of houses. The policy would also encourage coordination between both state-owned authorities and also private land developers in preparing the development plans, he informed.

The state government had also advised all the urban development authorities to prepare master plans, revise it for every 10 years and implement it without any compromise in the interest of the healthy development of towns and cities.

To make it an attractive proposition, henceforth all the district authorities, while acquiring private land would also offer a portion of the developed layout to the land owner from whom it was acquired. ''An 18 per cent developed land will be handed over to the owner of the land'' he added.

The government had earmarked Rs 350 crore in the current year's budget for seven city corporations except Bangalore, and Rs 175 crore had been released so far. The additional grants would be spent on improving basic infrastructure, road connectivity, supply of drinking water and sanitation, he said.

Taking a serious view over the encroachment of urban land belonging to the state government, the minister said a state-level vigilance squad would be formed to stop it.

The government had also instructed all the urban bodies to submit a report on the extent of state-owned land encroached by land grabbers, he added.

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