JAMMU: The State Administrative Council (SAC) which met here today under the chairmanship of Governor, N N Vohra approved the extension of the local area of the Jammu Development Authority from 288 Sq Km to 652 Sq Km extending thereby the territorial limits of Jammu Development Authority (JDA) to include 103 new villages of Jammu and Samba Districts. The SAC asked the JDA to prepare a revised Master Plan of this area as per provisions of the J&K Development Act.
The SAC directed the Housing and Urban Development that the planning and development in the newly included areas should take care of the rural urban interface which will come into play with the inclusion of these villages. It said that the review of the Master Plan should be a continuous and dynamic exercise as per the legal provisions of the act, so that it always triggers the planned urbanization of the city of Jammu in a holistic manner.
The SAC directed that experts from established national institutions be co- opted while finalizing the Jammu Master Plan, after following the statutory process of public consultation as provided in the J&K Development Act. It also directed that a proper Land Use Change Policy be also framed for bringing about transparency in the conversion of land particularly within the Master Plan area in future.
The SAC also directed that the J&K Development Act may also be reviewed to bring it at par with contemporary realities of Urban Development.
The decision will help in the planned growth of Jammu city in future and the New Master Plan for Jammu will be prepared with a futuristic vision upto 2032.