MoHUA panel recommends national authority on urban planning, modernising state town planning acts

Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore said the committee constituted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in March 2022 has also recommended a national-level service for urban planning in its report submitted in April this year.

New Delhi: Establishing a National Authority on Urban Planning and a National Council of City Regions, modernising state town planning acts and regulations are among the key recommendations made by a High-level Committee in its first draft report, the government said on Monday. Replying to a written question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore said the committee constituted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in March 2022, has also recommended a national-level service for urban planning in its report submitted in April this year.

The other recommendations include extending the Central support scheme for planning, personnel and capacity building and streamlining State Town Planning Departments. Kishore said for monitoring the development of cities, the ministry has established Project Management units at the Central level and Project Management consultants at the city level to coordinate and monitor the progress of all the missions.

The investments made through Smart Cities Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, Housing for All and Swachh Bharat Mission have developed the cities as centres for generating economic activities, he said.

"The Committee (constituted on urban planning in March 2022) has submitted its first draft report in April 2023 and its key recommendations include establishing the National Council of City Regions, a national authority and national level service for urban planning, extending central support scheme for planning, personnel, and capacity building, and streamlining state town planning departments and revising and modernising state town planning acts and regulations," the minister noted. (PTI)