Can you confirm the report? This is great and our best wishes are with you. People from Bengal around the world are eagerly waiting to see a resurgent Bengal and are closely watching how new govt handles, despite its political compulsions, the iconic Newtown project as a test case where much promised development of an ultra-modern planned city is delayed too much. To begin with, not any other "Nagar"....rename Newtown to "GreenTown" with much bigger, inclusive and grand plan than previous government to set agenda loud and clear and ensure speedy implementation.
More on today's TT: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110805/jsp/calcutta/story_14279318.jsp
Hidco set to change hands OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT The state government is clearing the decks to transfer the Housing Infrastructure Development Company (Hidco) from the housing to the urban development department.
The previous Left Front government had set up Hidco 12 years ago to develop New Town. Its change of hands is aimed at ensuring “holistic urban development” in the township.
A source in the chief minister’s office claimed a note-sheet — a roadmap for the transfer — had been drawn up and the proposal would soon be tabled before the cabinet. Once cleared, it would be placed in the Assembly.
Senior officers of Hidco pointed out that the housing department did not have the power to provide basic infrastructure like drinking water, sewerage or power in New Town. After selling off land, the government-run company therefore had to depend on other departments to carry out the work.
According to them, Hidco basically worked as a facilitator, providing land to those who wanted to buy from the government.
“The urban development department is equipped to set up infrastructure. It has dedicated wings to look after the infrastructure demands of a township,” said a senior official of the housing department.
“The urban development department has set up Salt Lake and Sector V. It has dedicated officers looking into different aspects of developing an area, unlike the housing department where an engineer can be one of the secretaries. So it is prudent to bring Hidco under our umbrella,” said a senior official of the urban development department.
Mamata Banerjee had expressed unhappiness several times about how Hidco used to function, allegedly as former housing minister Gautam Deb’s fiefdom. She had asked housing minister Shyamaprasad Mukherjee to submit a detailed report on the company.
He had mentioned in the report how Hidco had been functioning unprofessionally as an extension of the housing board under the housing department.
Subsequently, the government decided to dissolve the Bhangar-Rajarhat Area Development Authority (Brada) and put on hold all decisions made by the Hidco authorities, including those related to the allotment of land after December 1, 2010.
Today's Anandabazar says this...
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Can you confirm the report? This is great and our best wishes are with you.
ReplyDeletePeople from Bengal around the world are eagerly waiting to see a resurgent Bengal and are closely watching how new govt handles, despite its political compulsions, the iconic Newtown project as a test case where much promised development of an ultra-modern planned city is delayed too much. To begin with, not any other "Nagar"....rename Newtown to "GreenTown" with much bigger, inclusive and grand plan than previous government to set agenda loud and clear and ensure speedy implementation.
More on today's TT:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.telegraphindia.com/1110805/jsp/calcutta/story_14279318.jsp
Hidco set to change hands
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
The state government is clearing the decks to transfer the Housing Infrastructure Development Company (Hidco) from the housing to the urban development department.
The previous Left Front government had set up Hidco 12 years ago to develop New Town. Its change of hands is aimed at ensuring “holistic urban development” in the township.
A source in the chief minister’s office claimed a note-sheet — a roadmap for the transfer — had been drawn up and the proposal would soon be tabled before the cabinet. Once cleared, it would be placed in the Assembly.
Senior officers of Hidco pointed out that the housing department did not have the power to provide basic infrastructure like drinking water, sewerage or power in New Town. After selling off land, the government-run company therefore had to depend on other departments to carry out the work.
According to them, Hidco basically worked as a facilitator, providing land to those who wanted to buy from the government.
“The urban development department is equipped to set up infrastructure. It has dedicated wings to look after the infrastructure demands of a township,” said a senior official of the housing department.
“The urban development department has set up Salt Lake and Sector V. It has dedicated officers looking into different aspects of developing an area, unlike the housing department where an engineer can be one of the secretaries. So it is prudent to bring Hidco under our umbrella,” said a senior official of the urban development department.
Mamata Banerjee had expressed unhappiness several times about how Hidco used to function, allegedly as former housing minister Gautam Deb’s fiefdom. She had asked housing minister Shyamaprasad Mukherjee to submit a detailed report on the company.
He had mentioned in the report how Hidco had been functioning unprofessionally as an extension of the housing board under the housing department.
Subsequently, the government decided to dissolve the Bhangar-Rajarhat Area Development Authority (Brada) and put on hold all decisions made by the Hidco authorities, including those related to the allotment of land after December 1, 2010.