The Hindu 12.11.2009
Sheila seeks more funds from NCR Planning Board
Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday asked the National Capital Region Planning Board for more funds to carry out construction and upgradation work in the Capital. She also called for a more dynamic role for the Board to ease the pressure on infrastructure services in the Capital through rapid growth of alternative counter-magnet centres.
Attending the 31st meeting of the NCR Planning Board here, Ms. Dikshit asked it to allocate another Rs.222 crore for construction and modernisation of the Inter-State Bus Terminals at Anand Vihar and Sarai Kale Khan. Urging all member-States to contribute their share to the NCR Planning Board, she informed that Delhi had released Rs.350 crore as grant-in-aid for the NCR Development Fund.
Ms. Dikshit also emphasised the need to set up a Metropolitan Planning Committee. She urged the Board to impress upon the partner States to refrain from causing legal and other impediments in completion of projects related to the Commonwealth Games and sought the help of the adjoining States for development in infrastructure.
Referring to the constant influx of people to Delhi, she said because of its economic growth the city attracts more people. “The rate of growth of population was much higher than the national growth rate, which has a direct bearing on the requirement of infrastructural facilities.”
Ms. Dikshit blamed fast urbanisation with unmatched infrastructure for pollution, sanitation, water scarcity, development of slums and transportation.
