Bhiwani, Mahendragarh and Bharatpur included in National Capital Region (NCR)

National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), headed by Urban Development Minister , provides approval to add three more districts to National Capital Region.

They're : Bhiwani and Mahendragarh (in Haryana) and Bharatpur ( in Rajasthan). Using these additions, the number of districts inside the NCR now stands at 19, with total area increasing by 34% to 45,887sq km.

• Jaipur included just like a Counter-Magnet Area
• Jind and Karnal in Haryana and Mathura-Vrindavan of UP may also be being considered for inclusion.
• National Capital Region Transport Corporation for implementation of Regional Rapid Transit System ,proposed earlier, is underactive consideration
• A Draft Revised Regional Plan 2021 has the capacity to be approved soon

The National Capital Region (NCR)

An extended metropolitan area (agglomeration) centered on Delhi and comprising cities surrounding it in neighbouring states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

• aims to reduce pressure on the infrastructure of Delhi (health, educational, economic etc.) along with protect it from excessive population pressure. Additionally, it seeks to make sure a better planned development of the entire region.
• NCR Planning Board Act : constituted in 1985 to fulfill the objectives
• Benefits : Funding from NCRPB at Cheaper rates for infrastructure projects ; integrated planning leading to better development
• NCR is the India’s largest and world’s second largest (After Tokyo) agglomeration

Sub Region :

• Haryana Sub-Region : 11 districts, Largest area under NCR (Bhiwani ,Mahendragarh, Gurgaon, Faridabad , Mewat , Palwal , Rewari , Jhajjar, Rohtak , Sonipat , Panipat)
• Uttar Pradesh : 5 districts [Gautam Budha Nagar Dist (Noida and Greater Noida) , Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr and Meerut]
• Rajasthan : Alwar and Bharatpur
• The nation's Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi : comprises minimum area under NCR

Counter-magnet towns :

Role : As interceptors of migratory flows into NCR; As Regional Growth Centres

• The cities within 250 km. radius from Delhi that could serve and develop as alternative centres of growth thereby reducing pressure on Delhi.
• Criteria: Should have their own established roots and potential of growth and can't be centres of religious, strategic or environmental importance.

List: Gwalior, Hisar, Kota, Patiala, Bareily, Ambala, Dehradun, Kanpur and Jaipur