Punjab Budget envisions planned townships to cater rising urbanization in state, Aman Arora
*GMADA & other Development Authorities to develop new urban estates*
Chandigarh, March 10:
Punjab Housing and Urban Development Minister Aman Arora said that the general Budget for FY 2023-24 tabled by Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema has envisioned to develop world class planned townships to cater to rising urbanization in the state.
As per the commitment of Chief Minister S Bhagwant Mann to ensure planned development equipped with state-of-the-art amenities in urban areas, the Urban Development Authorities have been mandated to come up with new townships under their jurisdiction, said Mr. Arora.
Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) is developing a new Urban Estate over an area of 1,600 acres at SAS Nagar (Mohali) for development of residential, commercial and industrial plots. Apart from this, the acquisition process for setting up Urban Estates over an area 1,000 acres in New Chandigarh under the name of Eco City-3 has also been started, he added.
The Housing and Urban Development Minister said that Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) would set-up Urban Estate in Ludhiana over an area of 1,600 acres in FY 2023-24. Similarly, a township over an area of 200 acres would be developed by the Bathinda Development Authority in Bathinda.
He further said that Housing and Urban Development department has decentralized powers to the level of Development Authorities for granting Change of Land Use (CLU), Completion Certificate, Layout and Building Plans. In another such move to simplify the process, authority for approval of Building Plans and grant of Completion Certificate to the standalone industries has been delegated to Director, Factories.
He expressed gratitude towards the state government for proposing budgetary outlay of Rs. 6,596 crore in FY 2023-24 for Local Government and Urban Development.
