Bhubaneswar, July 28: To implement provisions of the comprehensive development plan (CDP) around the city, the Naveen Patnaik government has set up State Capital Region Development Fund.

This will help in faster and easier execution of infrastructure projects. A corpus of Rs 1,000 crore will be raised under the fund.

According to the plan, Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) will manage the fund, while entities such as the public works department, public health engineering organisation, and central electricity supply utility will execute projects.

“People in the BDA area will benefit immensely from the fund as the execution of infrastructure projects such as storm water drainage, master plan roads, low-cost housing, slum development and beautification drives will become easier and dependence on budgetary allocation will be minimal,’’ said BDA vice-chairman Krishan Kumar.

On how the funds will be generated under the programme, Kumar said: “Proceedings from auctioning of government land in the city will now come to the fund. Seventy-five per cent of the premium paid to the authority for developing public-private-partnership projects will also come to the fund. In future, there is also a proposal that the state government will specifically assign lands to the BDA for raising corpus funds.’’

Senior architect Akshaya Beuria said: “The development authority is already running late in implementing the CDP. Without development of roads and infrastructure, the focus of real-estate development gets concentrated in a particular stretch as it is happening along the Jatni-Sundarpada road. So this fund will help the city in getting better facilities.’’

Beuria, however, added that while Rs 1,000 crore is a meagre amount in comparison to the Rs 30,000 crore needed to implement the CDP, proper coordination between various departments and the municipal corporation would be crucial for its efficient execution. On the other hand, professionals involved in urban planning should monitor the work.

Sundarpada resident Krushna Sethi said: “In the absence of any infrastructure support, people are experiencing haphazard development resulting in flooding and lack of communication in areas on the outskirts. A dedicated fund will ensure an inclusive development process.’’

The decision making process to use the funds will also be simplified. With the chief secretary as chairperson of the board, and senior officials such as BDA vice-chairman and municipal commissioner as its members, taking forward projects without waiting for budgetary allocations will become easy.

However, the fund will supplement resources available for various urban infrastructure projects. It cannot be used as substitute to funds and grants available under schemes and projects run by the state government and the Centre.

Sources said the revenue and disaster mitigation department is likely to assign about 50 acres near the city to raise the fund corpus. Sources said that small plots near colonies allotted to the general administration department would also be surveyed and assigned to the BDA so that it can raise resources through auction. Similarly, land available on the city outskirts and fringes will be allotted to the BDA for the fund generation.

The plan comes at a time when the report of the comptroller and auditor general of India has criticised the BDA for disorderly development due to the non-implementation of the CDP.