Other States - Rajasthan   

Govt. demands special status in NCR

Special Correspondent

`To facilitate release of exclusive grants and financial resources'

JAIPUR: Rajasthan has called for extension of identical benefits to all States situated in the National Capital Region (NCR) during the implementation of the NCR Plan-2021 in various phases. The NCR comprises Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Rajasthan Minister of State for Urban Development Pratap Singh Singhvi, addressing the 29th meeting of the NCR Planning Board in New Delhi on Wednesday, said the demands of the desert State to remove imbalances had not been met while executing the construction and development schemes.

Mr. Singhvi said while Bhiwadi industrial area in Alwar district had not been connected with the Palwal-Khurja broad gauge railway line, there was very little progress on the proposal to build a modern metro city in Shahjahanpur-Neemrana and Behror on national highway No. 8 to ease the pressure on urban infrastructure in Delhi.

The Minister pointed out that the border of Rajasthan was only 55 km away from Delhi and the State sub-region constituted one-fourth portion of the NCR. "The Rajasthan sub-region should be given a special status to facilitate the release of exclusive grants and financial resources to it," he said.

Mr. Singhvi said the development of infrastructure in the State sub-region was comparatively more difficult as it comprised mostly the rural areas. He suggested that the NCR action plan be included in the 11th Five Year Plan of the member States as well as in their 2008-08 Annual Plans to make adequate financial allocations.

He said the entire NCR should be developed as a single unit with due attention paid to inter-State cooperation. The works relating to power, transport, drinking water, pollution control and afforestation should be taken up on priority, he added.

Union Minister for Urban Development Jaipal Reddy presided over the meeting, while it was attended by Union Minister Selja, Delhi L-G B.L. Joshi, and Chief Ministers Sheila Dikshit of Delhi and Bhupendra Singh Hooda of Haryana.

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