Part IXA: The Municipalities

Article 243ZE: Committee for Metropolitan Planning

Original Article:

(1) There shall be constituted in every Metropolitan area a Metropolitan Planning Committee to prepare a draft development plan for the Metropolitan area as a whole.

(2) The Legislature of a State may, by law, make provision with respect to:

• The composition of the Metropolitan Planning Committees;
• The manner in which the seats in such Committees shall be filled;
• The representation of the Government of India and the State Government, as well as other organizations;
• The functions and planning duties assigned to such Committees;
• The manner of choosing Chairpersons for such Committees.

(3) Every Metropolitan Planning Committee shall, in preparing the draft development plan:

• Consider local plans prepared by municipalities and panchayats;
• Address matters of common interest, including spatial planning and resource sharing;
• Align with objectives set by the Government of India and the State Government;
• Account for projected investments and available resources.

(4) The Chairperson of every Metropolitan Planning Committee shall forward the development plan to the State Government.

Explanations:

Article 243ZE is pivotal for urban governance, mandating the formation of Metropolitan Planning Committees to facilitate coordinated development across municipalities and panchayats within metropolitan areas.

Clause-by-Clause Explanation:

Clause (1): Establishment of a Metropolitan Planning Committee for development planning.

Clause (2): State Legislature’s powers to define MPC composition and representation.

Clause (3): Draft development plan preparation, including national and state objectives.

Clause (4): Submission of the development plan to the State Government.

Historical Significance:

Part of the 74th Constitutional Amendment, Article 243ZE empowered urban governance, promoting participative planning in metropolitan areas.

Legislative Background:

Drafted during the 74th Amendment debates, Article 243ZE was designed to bridge urban planning gaps in large metropolitan areas.

Debates and Deliberations:

During Constituent Assembly debates, the need for decentralized metropolitan planning was extensively discussed, leading to the inclusion of Article 243ZE.

References:

• The Constitution (Seventy-fourth Amendment) Act, 1992.
• Commentary on the Indian Constitution by D.D. Basu.