Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday called for a Common Economic Zone and a Common Economic Development Policy for the National Capital Region to develop NCR and reduce the burden on the capital itself. Dikshit was speaking at a two-day regional consultation on approach to 12th five-year plan organised in Delhi. Planning Commission deputy chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the chief ministers of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana and the finance ministers of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab as well as members of the plan panel and other senior officers were present in the consultation. Dikshit also raised the issue of lack of sufficient land for disposal of solid waste, which she termed as a big challenge and requested all participating states to set up common sanitary landfill sites in the NCR. She exhorted the ministers to view development of Delhi as one of the priorities of their respective governments. She said the population of Delhi comprises of the persons migrated from all parts of the country. Being a small urbanised territory it depends on neighbouring states for many of its requirements. She urged complete cooperation and support from neighbouring states and special support from the Planning Commission. To meet the increased water demand in the city, Dikshit suggested construction of a common pond near boundaries of Delhi, Haryana and UP which may help in resolution of water problems. She said it would help in storage of flood water in the Yamuna river during rainy seasons which is essential to meet the raw water requirement to some extent. Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that urban services in NCR should be developed in a uniform manner. While referring to the development in NCR, he underlined the need to make the NCR Board more purposeful and development-oriented. He also wanted extension of Delhi Metro in the neighbouring cities of Haryana. Ahluwalia noted that knowledge is also available beyond government and feedback has become essential to develop a system. He further added that the five-year plan is not merely a five-year budget but is going to be a policy framework. He said that 12th five-year plan will be based on faster, more inclusive and sustainable growth and that plan will be evolved in such a way that people can feel a wide sense of participation.

Underlining the need of a Common Economic Zone and a Common Economic Development Policy for the NCR, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday said that it is essential to develop NCR to lessen the burden on Delhi.

Dikshit was speaking at the two-day Regional Consultation on Approach to 12th Five Year Plan organised in Delhi. Deputy chairperson of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Himachal Pradesh & Haryana chief ministers and finance ministers of J&K, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, members of the Planning Commission and other senior officers were present in the Consultation.

Dikshit also raised the issue of lack of sufficient land for disposal of solid waste. She said that disposal of solid waste in the national capital is a big challenge and she requested all participating states for setting up of common sanitary landfill sites in the NCR.

She exhorted the ministers to view development of Delhi as one of the priorities of their government.  She said population of Delhi comprises of the persons migrated from all parts of the country and being a small urbanized territory it depends on neighbouring states for many of its requirements. She urged complete cooperation and support from neighbouring states and special support from the Planning Commission.

To meet the increased water demand in the city, Dikshit suggested to construct a common pondage near boundaries of Delhi, Haryana and U.P. which may help in resolution of water problems. She said it will help in storage of flood water available in Yamuna river during rainy season which is essential to meet the raw water requirement to some extent.

Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda on the occasion said that urban services in NCR should be developed in a uniform manner.  While referring to the development in NCR, he underlined the need of making NCR Board more purposeful and development-oriented.  The CM also wanted extension of Delhi Metro in the neighbouring cities of Haryana.

Himachal chief minister P K Dhumal and finance ministers of J&K, Uttarakhand and U.P. also expressed their views.

Ahluwalia said that it has been realised that knowledge is also available beyond government and that the feedback has become essential to develop a system. He further added that the Five Year Plan is not mere a five-year budget but is going to be a policy framework.  He said that 12th Five Year Plan will be based on faster, more inclusive and sustainable growth and that plan will be evolved in such a way that people can feel a wide sense of participation.