Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region (SCR) has been formed by combining Lucknow and the surrounding districts of Hardoi, Sitapur, Unnao, Rae Bareli and Barabanki.
The total area of SCR will be 27,826 square kilometers. Along with the formation of SCR, the government has also formed the Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region Development Authority (SCRDA).
The Chief Secretary has been made the Vice President of SCRDA headed by the Chief Minister. In this regard, a notification was issued by the Housing and Urban Planning Department on Friday. The headquarters of SCRDA will be in Lucknow.
Notification issued four months after approval
The Yogi government had approved the Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region and Other Areas Development Authority Ordinance-2024 about four and a half months ago regarding the formation of SCRDA on the lines of NCR (National Capital Region) Planning Board. Under the ordinance implemented after getting the green signal from Governor Anandi Ben Patel, on Friday, Additional Chief Secretary of Housing and Urban Planning Department Dr. Nitin Ramesh Gokarn also issued a notification regarding the formation of Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region and Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region Development Authority.
According to the notification, the scope of SCR will include the capital Lucknow as well as Hardoi, Sitapur, Unnao, Rae Bareli and Barabanki district of Ayodhya division. While the total area of all these districts included in SCR is 27,826 square km, according to the census of the year 2011, the population is 2.29 crore.
Population and area of districts included in SCRDA
District – Population (2011) – Area (sq km)
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Lucknow – 45,89,838 – 2528
Hardoi – 40,92,845 – 5986
Sitapur – 44,83,992 – 5743
Unnao – 31,08,367 – 4558
Rae Bareli – 34,05,559 – 4609
Barabanki – 32,60,699 – 4402
Actually, for integrated planned development, there is a system of Regional Development Authority in many other states like Delhi-NCR Planning Board. To ensure planned development at the regional level in Uttar Pradesh too, Chief Minister Yogi had directed the departmental officials about two years ago to constitute Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region and other Regional Development Authorities. The suggestions and objections received last year on the draft of Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region and Other Area Development Authority Ordinance, prepared on the instructions of the Chief Minister, were resolved and the related ordinance was approved by the cabinet on March 5 before the Lok Sabha elections.
The headquarters of SCRDA will be in the capital Lucknow itself and there will be regional offices in the districts for the convenience of the citizens. According to departmental officials, like SCRDA, many regional development authorities will also be formed in the state.
The Chief Minister will be the Chairman of SCRDA
The Chairman of Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region Development Authority (SCRDA) will be the Chief Minister and the Vice-Chairman will be the Chief Secretary. Apart from this, the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Ex-officio Secretary of Housing and Urban Planning, Finance, Law, Revenue, Planning, Urban Development, Industrial and Infrastructure Development, Namami Gange, Public Works Department, Tourism, Forest, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Agriculture, Irrigation and Transport Department will be members of the Authority.
Along with this, the Divisional Commissioners of Lucknow and Ayodhya, District Magistrates of Lucknow, Hardoi, Sitapur, Unnao, Rae Bareli and Barabanki, Vice-Chairmen of Lucknow, Unnao-Shuklaganj and Rae Bareli Development Authority, Chief Town and Village Planner of Uttar Pradesh, five experts having special knowledge or practical experience of matters related to urban and regional development, engineering, transport, industry and environment appointed by the government, Managing Director of UP Metro Rail Corporation or representative of any other transport authority, representative of railways and defence sector nominated by the Government of India, a Chief Executive Officer nominated by the State Government upto the level of Principal Secretary will be the members of the Development Authority.
Until someone is nominated by the government, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Housing and Urban Planning Department will be the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority. The Divisional Commissioner of Lucknow will be the Member Secretary of the Regional Development Authority.
