NCR Planning Board to formulate scheme to incentivise state govts for increased green cover; 4 NAMO cities proposed
New Delhi, June 17
The National Capital Region Planning Board on Tuesday decided to formulate a scheme that would incentivise state governments to increase green cover across the region, including through the participation of private citizens and companies, at the 42nd meeting of the Board.
According to the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, the Board discussed the Regional Plan 2041 in great detail and decided to retain the existing geographical extent of the NCR, with no changes to its current area.
It was decided to encourage the use of innovative instruments like green canopy credits and non-financial tools like transferable and saleable Special Development Rights.
The meeting held on Tuesday in New Delhi was chaired by NCRPB Chairperson and Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Manohar Lal. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, Urban Development in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, Jhabar Singh Kharra and Arvind Kumar Sharma, respectively, along with other senior officers of the Central Government and NCR States attended the meeting.
The National Capital Region spans 55,083 square kilometres across the NCT of Delhi and 27 districts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. It is home to 230 urban settlements and 11,784 villages, contributes about eight per cent of India's GDP, and is the world's largest urban agglomeration, the press release said.
The region is on the cusp of near-doubling in terms of population. From 7.86 crore today to 14.73 crore by 2041 -- close to seven crore additional residents to absorb over the next fifteen years. Most of the population growth will be in the urban centres, and especially the larger cities within the NCR. The RP-2041 is an important step in meeting the challenge and planning for this growth.
As per the press release, the Draft RP-2041 has been comprehensively consulted. Public notice in December 2021 drew over 4,500 comments. It has undergone elaborate state and central government-level discussions and reviews through 2025. The updated draft was shared with all four constituent States in January 2026, and the responses have been incorporated.
Speaking in the meeting, Manohar Lal said that the NCR Planning Board is a unique example of inter-state and inter-agency coordination and regional development in the country. The NCRPB Chairman also said that a cooperative, collaborative and coordinated approach is essential to make an economically prosperous, future-ready NCR with citizen-centric infrastructure.
Meanwhile, under the Regional Plan-2041 for the NCR, four semi-greenfield cities are proposed to be developed as mixed-use TOD at selected existing and proposed stations on the Namo Bharat (RRTS) lines.
They would be described as "Namo Cities" and will be identified through a competitive process among the NCR participating states. The scheme will include a performance-linked incentive of Rs 5,000 crore as a blend of grant, loan, and guarantee, including a Rs 1000 crore grant. The NCRPB funding is intended to catalyse the growth nodes, the release noted.
The Minister of MoHUA also announced that the central government scheme of replacement of old bus and truck fleets will be named Program for Accelerated Renewal and Incentivization of Vehicle Assets for Reducing Transport Air-Pollution and Network Emission (PARIVARTAN).
The scheme is a time-bound fleet modernisation scheme aimed at reducing vehicular pollution in NCR by incentivising the replacement of BS-IV and older trucks and buses with BS-VI, CNG, or Electric Vehicles (EVs), the release said.
It was also decided that the RP 2041 would be notified after examining the issues raised in the meeting and completion of the administrative requirements.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting approach—tying green cover to development rights. As someone who works in urban planning, I see potential but also risk of corporatizing public goods. The private participation part needs strong safeguards to avoid greenwashing.
Namo cities on RRTS corridors—smart! But 7 crore more people by 2041? Arre yaar, we can't even manage Delhi's current water and pollution. Please focus on basic infrastructure first: sewage, public transport, and affordable housing. Green cover will follow naturally if cities are well-planned.
PARIVARTAN scheme—finally retiring those old polluting buses! I commute daily in NCR and the air quality is a killer. But will the scrappage incentives be enough for transport operators to switch to EVs? The economics need to work for them.
Notified after 4,500 comments and years of discussions? Typical government pace! 😅 But kudos to the NCRPB for including citizen feedback. Just hope RP-2041 includes solid measures for green jobs and local livelihoods—development without displacement is key.
Great to see inter-state coordination for once! Haryana, UP, Rajasthan, and Delhi on the same page is rare. But one concern: how will these "Namo Cities" ensure affordable housing for lower-income groups? TOD often leads to gentrification if not carefully managed.
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