Consent of landowners would play a pivotal role in the development of satellite townships for 55 cities in the state.

The Nitish Kumar-led government would go directly to the farmers and explain to them the benefits of giving away their lands for the projects. The decision is in contrast to its hands-off approach regarding acquisition of land for industry.

The urban development department has drawn up master plans on developing townships on the lines of the Delhi’s National Capital Region (NCR) but in a way that land does not pose a problem. The department would develop some of the townships on its own while others may be developed by private players.

State urban development minister Prem Kumar told The Telegraph on Tuesday: “We hope that the intervention of the state government would be of help in many ways. Moreover, many other departments would work in co-ordination with our department.”

He added that changes in the master plan and new building bylaws would be brought to the public domain with the help of other departments and agencies in the next six months.

“We have master plans of developing townships in as many as 55 cities of the state on the lines of Delhi’s NCR that includes Gurgaon. Patna, Vaishali, Gaya and Muzaffarpur would be among many other cities to have such townships. The department, however, is making some changes in the master plans to ensure that land does not become an issue,” the minister said.

He added that farmers would be taken into confidence and convinced about the benefits of the townships.

Elucidating the course of action, minister Kumar said: “Suppose there is a proposal for developing a township between Patna and Masaurhi or between Patna and Bihta. The government would not notify it immediately. Instead, it would go to the farmers and landowners of that area and explain to them the advantages of providing their lands for development of the township. The government would wait till at least 80 per cent of the farmers and landowners categorically agree to the proposal of giving away their lands. Once the state government gets positive feedback, the project would be approved and notified.

“We have drawn up the master plan for developing satellite townships for 10 cities. Building bylaws would be altered. Both would be ready to be made public in six months’ time.”

Kumar said building planning, water supply and sewerage and drainage systems would be state-of-the art in these townships.

On solving the city’s water woes, minister Kumar said: “The plan regarding supply of clean water is already underway in Patna. A water treatment plant would come up in Digha. Within two years, all the 72 wards of the Patna Municipal Corporation area would receive safe and clean surface water from the Ganga. The underground water would be stored. Places like Buxar, Hajipur, Munger, Begusarai, Rajgir and Bodhgaya, which are located on the banks of the Ganga, would get the surface water of the river in accordance with the different stages of the project.”