Committee to evolve policy on periphery development

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has constituted a high power seven member committee to promote planned development in 1021 sq km of area in Punjab which falls in the periphery of Chandigarh.
The committee has been tasked with looking into the existing status of the periphery, critically examine the problems and the bottlenecks in the proper development of the area and suggest a policy framework which would ensure a planned development of the area.The committee has been asked to submit its report within three months to the Chief Minister
Amarinder Singh.
Out of the 1362 sq km area under the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952, an area of 1021 sq km falls in Punjab. The area is covered by five towns and 336 villages. A planning area of 166.42 sq km also constitutes a part of this and 48.92 sq km has been kept under Free enterprise Zone to develop industrial growth within the periphery.
The constitution of this seven member committee, with Chief Secretary, Punjab as the Chairman, the Financial Commissioner, principal secretaries of local government, Industries, PWD, Secretary Housing and Urban Development as members and Chief Administrator PUDA as the member secretary, is an important development as the problems being faced by the people living in the area and the haphazard development had been attracting the attention of the government for a considerable time.
The residents of the periphery have been, for a long time, demanding that the Periphery Control act be repealed. In March, this year, the standing committee on Subordinate Legislation headed by MLA Kharar Bir Devinder Singh had tabled its report in the house demanding the repeal of the Act terming it a deterrent in the development of the periphery.
Bir Devinder Singh, in a news conference had even given an ultimatum to the government to declare its stand on the issue by September 15. In a statement relased by PUDA, the government has said that the chief minister has desired to mitigate the problems of the people living in the area and ensuring proper development.