Calcutta has grown in size, for the first time in 28 years, taking Joka I and II into its fold.

The decision taken by the Mamata Banerjee government on the second day of the new regime, May 21 last year, received the cabinet’s seal of approval on Friday.

“We have decided that the two gram panchayats of Joka (in South 24-Parganas) will be added to Calcutta,” parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee said.

Metro had reported on May 22 that Mamata had decided to bring the two gram panchayats, where IIM is located, under the Calcutta Municipal Corporation’s (CMC) wings.

“Adding Joka to Calcutta had been a part of the chief minister’s plan since long, even before we came to power. She had also wanted to bring Salt Lake’s Sector V under CMC but eventually changed her mind and decided to add it to the proposed Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation instead,” a minister said.

The last time the Calcutta civic body’s area of authority was expanded was in 1984, when 41 wards were added to the CMC area, taking the number of wards to the present 141. Once Joka I and II are included, the number of wards is expected to go up by six to eight.

Officials said becoming a part of the CMC area would mean better civic amenities for Joka. “The inclusion would mean better roads, better sewerage, better water supply and other civic infrastructure for the areas. As part of the CMC area, they can be transformed from semi-urban or rural areas to urban areas,” said a senior official of the urban development department.

The addition, according to officials, was necessary also because the areas would be a part of the 16.72km Joka-BBD Bag Metro network scheduled to be completed by 2014.

“These parts of Joka need prompt uplift in the next few years, before the Joka-BBD Bag Metro route becomes operational. That is another key reason why these areas were added to the city,” said the official.