Lok Sabha Question No. 3921 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-19
Subject: Master Plan for Delhi-2041
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Manickam Tagore B, Shri Vijayakumar Alias Vijay Vasanth

NO. 3921.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3921

## TO BE ANSWERED ON DECEMBER 19, 2024

## MASTER PLAN FOR DELHI-2041

## SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B:

Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the reasons for the delay in the notification of the Master Plan for Delhi2041 despite being sent to the Government in 2023 along with the details of the specific technical issues causing delay in its implementation;
- (b) the  details  of  the  Government's  plan  to  ensure  that  the  funds  from substantial budget increase for urban development are used efficiently to address the growing issues of urbanization such as pollution, congestion
- and inadequate infrastructure;
- (c) whether the Government has received 28 proposals for development of new cities and if so, the details of the Government's plan to ensure that these new cities are built in a sustainable and inclusive manner, without exacerbating the existing urban challenges;
- (d) the  manner  in  which  the  Government  ensure  that  the  benefits  of revamping its affordable housing scheme to incentivize the States would reach the underprivileged and not be misused by builders/developers; and
- (e) the concrete steps taken/being taken by the Government to promote nonmotorized  transport  and  to  alleviate  the  growing  traffic  congestion  in cities?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS (SHRI TOKHAN SAHU)

- (a) The  draft  MPD  -2041  is  a  policy  framework  document  to  guide  future planned  development  of  Delhi,  built  upon  the  lessons  learnt  from  the implementation  of  the  previous  plans.  There  are  a  range  of  complex issues contained in the document which requires a detailed analysis and stakeholder  consultation  which  are  currently  ongoing.  Finalization  of Draft MPD-2041 document is a time-consuming process. Since, the matter is  of  utmost  importance,  highest  priority  is  being  accorded  for  its finalization.

- (b) The efficient utilization of funds is ensured through regular monitoring of projects like urban transport etc. at different level and effective fund of disbursement mechanism so that such funds are utilized for expansion of urban  infrastructure  which  includes  metro  rail  projects  to  address  the growing issues of urbanization such as pollution, congestion and inadequate infrastructure. With the result cities having operational metro rail  network  increased  from  5  cities  to  23  cities  and  total  operational metro rail network has increased from 248km to 993 km in last 10 years.

As per 12 th   Schedule  of  the  Constitution  of  India,  urban  planning  is  the function  of  Urban  Local  Bodies  (ULBs)/  Urban  Development  Authorities. Government of India supplements the efforts of the States/ Uts through schematic interventions. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) was launched on 25 June 2015 in selected 500 cities  (485  cities  including  15  merged  cities)  and  towns  across  the country. The Mission focuses on development of basic infrastructure, in the selected cities and towns, in the sectors of water supply; sewerage and  septage  management;  storm  water  drainage;  green  spaces  and parks; and non-motorized urban transport.

In Delhi, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) executes various works under different schemes such as Swachh Bharat Mission, National Clean Air Programme and AMRUT 2.0 to efficiently address the growing issues of urbanization after receiving budget allocation from various agencies.

- (c) 15 th Finance Commission  (15 th FC) has allocated ₹8,000 crore as performance-based challenge fund for incubation of new cities. A State can have only one new city through this fund.

In line with the recommendations of 15 th  FC, the Ministry constituted an Expert Committee (EC) for finalization of bid parameters for incubation of new cities. The Committee finalized minimum eligibility conditions & bid parameters, and a Request for Proposal (RfP) was circulated to all States. The Ministry  received 26 proposals from 21 States up to the last date. Due  to  non-receipt  of  qualitative  proposals  from  North-Eastern  States, fresh/revised  proposals  were  sought  from  these  States.  Consequently, total 28 proposals from 23 States have been received. All the proposals are at the competent level for examination/scrutiny.

- (d) 'Land' and 'Colonization' are State subjects. Therefore, schemes related to housing for their citizens are implemented by States/Union Territories (UTs).  However,  the  Ministry  of  Housing  and  Urban  Affairs  supplements the efforts of States/UTs by providing Central Assistance under Pradhan Mantri  Awas  Yojana  -  Urban  (PMAY-U)  since  25.06.2015  with  an  aim  to provide all  weather pucca houses with basic civic amenities to eligible urban beneficiaries across the country.  PMAY-U is presently in extension phase to complete already sanctioned houses.

Based  on  the  learning  from  the  experiences  of  PMAY-U,  MoHUA  has launched its revamped version - PMAY-U 2.0 'Housing for All' Mission with effect  from  01.09.2024  for  assisting  one  crore  households  to  construct, purchase and rent a house at affordable cost in urban areas across the country  through  four  verticals  i.e.,  Beneficiary  Led  Construction  (BLC), Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), Affordable Rental Housing (ARH) and Interest Subsidy Scheme (ISS). The scheme has inbuilt provisions like Aadhaar validation of beneficiaries, transfer of assistance through Direct Benefit  Transfer  (DBT)/  Expenditure-Advance-Transfer  (EAT)  module  of Public Financial Management System (PFMS), Geotagging of houses etc., integrated  into  robust  PMAY-U  MIS  system  for  ensuring  transparency, efficiency  and  accountability  and  ensuring  that  benefits  reach  to  the genuine beneficiaries.

In Delhi, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) addresses the needs of affordable housing segment by offering EWS flats in subsidized rates as well  as  LIG  flats  in  its  different  Housing  Schemes.  To  ensure  that  the benefits reach the underprivileged, specific restrictions are in place for applying under the EWS category. Only applicants from the EWS category or those with a specific family income are eligible. The income criteria for this scheme are updated periodically, and the current requirement is that the  applicant  must  have  a  family  income  of  less  than  Rs.  10  lakh  per directed annum. This income limit ensures that the benefits are exclusively to the underprivileged.

- (e) 'Urban  planning'  is  a  state  subject.  Therefore,  the  respective  State Governments are responsible for planning, initiating and developing urban transport  infrastructure  including  integration  amongst  various  modes  of public transport. However, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has formulated policies viz. National Urban Transport  Policy 2006,  Metro

Rail  Policy,  2017  and  Transit  Oriented  Development  Policy,  2017  which act as a guide to State Governments so that urban transport systems are planned and implemented in the most sustainable and viable manner.

100  cities  have  been  selected  under  the  Smart  Cities  Mission  (SCM), where  extensive  citizen  engagement  was  carried  out  to  identify  local urban needs. According to local needs identified with citizen engagement,  the  cities  undertook  several  projects  to  improve  urban transport  and  sustainability  including,  inter-alia  public  transport,  NonMotorized  Transport  (NMT),  Public  Bicycle  sharing  (PBS),  last mile connectivity, multimodal transit hubs.

Non-motorised Urban Transport is one of the thrust areas of the AMRUT Mission  that  includes  provision  of  pedestrian,  non-motorized  and  public transport facilities, cycle tracks, parking spaces etc. Under this sector, the  purpose  is  to  reduce  pollution  by  switching  to  public  transport  or constructing  facilities  for  non-motorized  transport  (e.g.  walking  and cycling). Against the total plan size of ₹77,640 crore, ₹1,436 crore (2%) has been allocated under this sector. So far, 352 projects worth ₹1,021.65 crore  have  been  grounded  of  which  323  projects  worth  ₹849.58  crore have  been  completed.  Through  projects  taken  up  in  Urban  transport sector, 430 KMs of pedestrian walkway, 43 KMs of dedicated cycle track laid in AMRUT Mission cities.

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