PMRDA snippets

The local governing bodies will have to bear and share the cost of projects implemented under the PMRDA initially till the state government implements the MMRDA model, where the state will procure land and use it to generate funds. The state government recently approved an amendment to the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning (MRTP) Act to form the much-awaited PMRDA (Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority). The chapter of Area Development Authority was added to the MRTP Act. Development planning and implementation is done at three levels — regional level, municipal corporation level and through town planning schemes. The MRTPA had no provision for implementing the regional plan and the amendment facilitated this. “After the state cabinet’s approval to the amendment in MRTPA, the focus is now on setting the economic model for the PMRDA. In its initial stage, the local governing bodies under the PMRDA will have to jointly bear the expenses of development projects implemented,” said state Urban Development Department secretary T C Benjamin. As of now, municipal corporations, municipal councils and gram panchayats prepare and implement their own development plans. The PMRDA will deal with matters of common interest in all these areas, including co-ordinating spatial planning of the area. “Sharing of water and other physical resources will be handled by the Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC). This will give a major boost to development of several rural areas surrounding Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad which were left out of development planning of the twin cities. Eventually, the state government will imitate the MMRDA model under which authorities will procure land and then exploits it to raise funds,” said Benjamin. The state government is also looking forward to getting funds from the central government under JNNURM for Pune agglomeration. MPCs can prepare integrated development plans and seek funds from the JNNURM, which was earlier restricted to municipal corporations. For claiming funds under the JNNURM it is compulsory for the state government to form MPCs for cities with a population of over 30 lakh people.