Regional Planning in India
Regional planning in India has a long history, with the first regional plan being prepared in 1951 for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Since then, several regional plans have been prepared for different parts of the country.
History of Regional Planning in India
Regional planning in India emerged as a response to the challenges of rapid urbanization and inadequate infrastructure in the post-independence period. The first regional plan was prepared for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region in 1951, followed by plans for other regions such as Kolkata, Chennai, and Delhi. The 1960s and 1970s saw the development of regional planning at the state level, with several states preparing their own regional plans. The 1980s and 1990s saw the development of regional planning at the national level, with the preparation of the National Perspective Plan in 1988 and the National Urban Development Strategy in 1990.
Types of Regional Planning in India
Regional planning in India can be classified into two types based on their approach:
- Top-down Approach: In this approach, the planning and implementation of development interventions are largely centralized, with limited involvement of the local communities.
- Bottom-up Approach: In this approach, the planning and implementation of development interventions are decentralized, with significant involvement of the local communities.
Examples of Regional Planning in India
Some examples of regional planning initiatives implemented in different parts of India are:
- Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA): This authority was established in 1975 with the aim of promoting the sustainable development of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The authority has been successful in implementing several infrastructure projects such as the Mumbai Metro and the Mumbai Monorail.
- National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB): This board was established in 1985 with the aim of promoting the integrated development of the National Capital Region (NCR). The board has been successful in implementing several infrastructure projects such as the Delhi Metro and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway.
Issues in Regional Planning in India
Some of the major issues in implementing regional planning in India are:
- Limited Implementation: Despite the preparation of several regional plans, the implementation of these plans has been limited, leading to inadequate infrastructure and uncontrolled urbanization.
- Lack of Community Participation: Top-down approaches to regional planning often suffer from a lack of community participation, leading to a lack of ownership and sustainability of the development interventions.
- Inadequate Financing: Regional planning requires significant financial resources, and inadequate financing can lead to incomplete or ineffective implementation of the programme.
- Limited Coordination: Regional planning requires coordination between different levels of government and with the private sector, and often there is limited coordination between these entities.
