CIDCO will now plan and develop coastal districts of Maha’s west coast

The state government has appointed former BMC commissioner and 1977 batch IAS officer Subodh Kumar to head the high-level advisory board and create a plan for development, employment and sustainable areas in the Konkan region

Mumbai: The state’s urban development department on Monday issued a notification appointing the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) as a special planning authority (SPA) for coastal districts like Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Raigad and Palghar on the west coast of Maharashtra.

The urban development department asked CIDCO to set up offices in each district for the approval of plans in the areas. Currently, any construction undertaken in the region is approved by the municipal corporation’s council or gram panchayat depending on the area. (HT PHOTO)

The state government has appointed former BMC commissioner and 1977 batch IAS officer Subodh Kumar to head the high-level advisory board and create a plan for development, employment and sustainable areas in the Konkan region.

CIDCO’s purpose at the time of its creation in 1970 was to develop Navi Mumbai, and it is now executing large-scale infrastructure projects, including Navi Mumbai International Airport and the Navi Mumbai Metro.

The notification states that CIDCO has to execute proper planning and also ensure environmental protection and conservation as well as non-conventional energy generation. It has to plan eco-friendly tourism, adventure tourism, conservation of forts and tourism-based infrastructure as well as make development inclusive. The planning agency will also be responsible for the economic empowerment of the locals by involving them in tourism development, processing and other industries, creation of employment on a large scale and thereby controlling the amount of migration. The CIDCO will also have to appoint an international agency for the same.

The west coast of Maharashtra consists of a 720 km-wide seashore from Dahanu to Vengurla. The region’s economy is mainly based on economic growth from fish, betel nut, coconut, mangoes and cashew nuts as well as tourism, there is scope to increase employment generation by promoting tourism and processing industries while conserving the sea coasts, environment and wildlife. Import-export business from ports here and trade worth 73 billion dollars export business took place in the last financial year. The central and state government intends to increase these exports, thereby the Maharashtra government targets the economy of the state to reach one trillion dollars (five lakh crores) in the next five years, the notification said,

The notification says that the Subodh Kumar-led advisory board may invite additional experts for deliberation as required. The term of office of the said advisory board shall be from the date of the government order establishing such development plan till the date of promulgation of the draft development plan

The said advisory board in accordance with the said objectives will firstly prepare a vision document for the said notified area in the first 6 months in consultation with all the stakeholders including CIDCO, conducting field visits and studying relevant case studies of national and international development plans with similar features. CIDCO shall propose all necessary provisions in the said development plan taking the base of various guidelines mentioned in the vision document. While preparing the said development plan, CIDCO shall select a reputed agency of international standard as prescribed, in consent with the said High Level Advisory Board of Experts, the notification said