Assam plans new authority to develop townships, satellite cities

Guwahati, Jul 9 (PTI) The Assam government on Thursday proposed to create a new authority to promote and develop notified townships and satellite cities in the state. The government introduced the 'Guwahati Satellite City Development Authority Bill, 2026' in the Assam assembly in this regard. In the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Kaushik Rai said it is proposed to set up a new body – Guwahati Satellite Cities Development Authority (GSCDA). "The objects of the authority shall be to promote and secure the development of notified township and/or satellite city(ies). The areas under the purview of the authority shall be as notified by the State Government from time to time," he said. The GSCDA shall be entrusted with the responsibilities of preparing the development plans for such notified areas, Rai said. The minister said Assam has witnessed unprecedented rapid urbanisation and population growth, thereby increasing exponential pressure on existing urban centres, particularly in and around the municipal limits of Guwahati. The rising demand for healthcare and other state services in these urban centres has resulted in pressure on existing civic infrastructure, environmental stress on natural resources and regulatory issues, he said. "Concurrently, there is a need to explore, strategise and establish new avenues of economic growth capable of attracting fresh investments, generating employment in a sustained and scalable way," Rai said. At present, township development, planning and its execution is fragmented across multiple government agencies and inevitably cause overlap in decision-making, he said. "Therefore, to be able to efficiently address the need and challenges as identified, it is proposed to establish a dedicated centralised institution responsible for identifying future urban growth corridors," the minister said. The proposed body will also consolidate contiguous land, particularly earmarked for planning, developing satellite cities, integrating transport, housing and economic infrastructure with existing civil infrastructure, and raising and deploying funds together with encouraging private investment to be able to realise the goal, he said. "The concerned institution so established will be a specialised institution empowered to provide strategic direction, integrated planning and efficient execution," Rai added. PTI TR RBT