Bengal to have state's Urban Development Policy for 1st time

For the first time, the West Bengal government has prepared a state Urban Development Policy having got nod from the Cabinet Standing Committee on Infrastructure today.
"Such a policy was a strong requirement to cope with growing urbanisation," state's Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said here today announcing the government decision after the cabinet meeting.
Elaborating the policy, Finance Minister and Chairman of a Group of Minister (GoM) Amit Mitra said the benefits of living in a metro city would accrue to a large number of people by providing scope of raising floor-space of existing buildings under several conditions and boost government revenues in the process.

"The state government has taken this bold step to accommodate more people in the metropolis to meet the requirement of growing urbanisation," Mitra said.
He said that the growth of urban population in the state was 31 per cent from the year 2001 to 2011, which was against 27 per cent growth of national average.
Giving some examples, Mitra said that in case of 'green buildings' (as defined nationally or globally), ten per cent rise in floor space would be allowed by the government.
Similarly 100 per cent increase in floor space would be allowed in a building having tenants partly or fully or in case of new construction coming up over a dilapidated building, Mitra said adding that the rights of the tenants has to be preserved.