To effect more planned development in the cities, the State Government is mulling to empower the existing city development authorities by bringing changes in the Odisha Development Authorities Act, 1982.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has given a go-ahead signal to a proposal of the Housing and Urban Development Department in this regard, according to sources.
There are nine development authorities for Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri-Konark, Kalinga Nagar, Talcher-Angul, Paradip, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Brahmapur.
Similarly, there are seven Regional Improvement Trusts (RITs) for Koraput, Ganjam, Baleswar, Jagatsinghpur, Jharsuguda, Dhenkanal and Kendrapada. Besides, there are 36 Special Planning Authorities (SPA)s working in the State.
The ODA Act provides mechanism to all these institutions responsible for planning and development of the respective urban zones.The Government is also mulling to amalgamate a few planning development institutions for better development.
If Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Puri-Konark development authorities are amalgamated to a unified entity called Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA), it would certainly help the Government to make better urban planning and proper manpower utilisation, feel senior experts of the Urban Development Department. To make such mergers, few changes in the ODA Act are being worked out, a senior official revealed.
Besides, it is proposed that each of planning and development authorities should have a post of Environment Expert who would look into environmental aspects of their respective cities which are dwindling for various reasons.
With the urban bodies lacking funding sources, there is a need for private participation for setting up infrastructure projects. The department is also working on to set up Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) to take up concentrated development in areas under the development authorities.
As the State Government is harping on affordable housing for all, certain percentage of the land is required to be reserved for the purpose in all cities and towns. Experts feel that at least 20 per cent of urban areas need to be kept reserved for this purpose.
According to officials, a Micro level Planning (MlP) is also felt necessary for better planning and development. Many States have taken up this mechanism fruitfully, they said.