Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry receives 26 proposals from 21 states to develop new cities

The Union Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) Ministry has received 26 proposals from 21 states to develop new cities to meet the demand for urban expansion in the country and they are currently at scrutiny and evaluation stage, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.

In a written response to a question, Minister of State for HUA Kaushal Kishore said the 15th Finance Commission has allocated Rs 8,000 crore for performance-based challenge fund for incubation of eight new cities and the amount available for each proposed new city is Rs 1,000 crore.

"A state can have only one new city through this fund. Thus, maximum nine new cities in nine states can be selected," the minister said.

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Considering the small urban population in north-east and hill states, Rs 1,000 crore for two new cities (Rs 500 crore each) for two different states has been proposed, he said.

"The Ministry has specified minimum eligibility conditions and bid parameters for the states to compete in the challenge. The last date to receive bids from states was 20 January, 2023.

"Total 26 proposals from 21 states including state of Uttar Pradesh have been received by the last date. These proposals are at scrutiny and evaluation stage," he said.

Proposals received for incubation of new cities include Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh), Jagiroad (Assam), New MOPA Ayush City, Pernem (Goa), GIFT city expansion (Gujarat), Pakyong (Sikkim), Thirumazhisai (Tamil Nadu), Bantala Greenfield City,Karmadiganta (West Bengal), Jabalpur Extension (Madhya Pradesh), Virul (Maharashtra), Aerocity (Kerala), New Ranchi City (Jharkhand), Mountain Township (Himachal Pradesh), Gurugram (Haryana), Kopparthay (Andhra Pradesh) and Gumin Nagar, Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh), Bhubaneswar (Odisha), Aerotropolis (Punjab), GFC-Ranpur (Rajasthan), Nagaki Global City (Nagaland), YaithibiLokul (Manipur) and Doiwala (Uttarakhand).