Haryana Cabinet approves the draft of the SMDA, 2023 Bill | 08 Apr 2023

Why in News?

On 5 April 2023, Haryana cabinet meeting was held in Chandigarh under the chairmanship of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal, in which the draft of Sonipat Metropolitan Development Authority (SMDA), 2023 Bill was approved.

Key Points

• This draft bill seeks to ensure continuous, sustainable and balanced development of Sonipat Metropolitan Area through quality of life and creation of employment opportunities aiming to develop a vision for a reasonable standard of living and integrated and coordinated planning, infrastructure to be provided to residents.
• Apart from this, the enactment of this bill will also lead to development and provision of urban amenities, mobility management, sustainable management of urban environment and social, economic & industrial development.
• The government has decided to set up Sonipat Metropolitan Development Authority (SMDA) Sonipat on the lines of Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) Gurugram, Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA), Faridabad and Panchkula Metropolitan Development Authority (PMDA) Panchkula.
• Its main objective is to develop a vision for the sustainable and balanced development of the Sonipat Metropolitan Area. Urban facilities and infrastructural development will be strengthened by the authorities.
• The Chief Minister will be the chairman of Sonipat Metropolitan Development Authority (SMDA), while Town and Country Planning Minister, Urban Local Bodies Minister, Transport Minister, Member of Parliament, State Legislative Assembly, Mayor and Senior Deputy Mayor of Municipal Corporation Sonipat and many senior officials of the State Government will be ex-officio members of this authority.