Development Authorities in Assam

The Development Authorities in Assam have been created under the Assam Town & Country Planning Act, 1959 (as amended) to implement the Master Plans prepared by Town & Country Planning, Assam. There are 24 Development Authorities in Assam and their functions as mandated in the Assam T&CP Act, 1959 (as amended) are mentioned below,-

1. Implementation of Master Plan
2. Accord permissions for construction of building, alteration or renovation of building, removal of buildings, etc.
3. Retain, lease, exchange, and transfer land acquired by it under this Act
4. Preparation and Implementation of  Development Schemes in the urban area
5. Laying out of infrastructure and other services (roads, drainage, sewerage, water supply, etc.)

For executing the above functions, Urban Development Authorities have some financial powers as well. Development Authorities are annually provided a grant-in-aid by the State Government for administrative expenditure, which only meets their minimal requirements.  The UDA’s own major sources of funding are from the following,-

1. Fees, charges for building permit application and processing,
2. Fees, charges for land sale permit application and processing,
3. Site and Services scheme
4. UDAs are also allowed to borrow from banks, take government grants, loans and aids, etc.

Consequent to the amendment of Assam Town & Country Planning Act, 1959 and Assam Municipal Act, 1956, as per the provisions of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 - the power of granting building permission and land sale permissions, which were earlier vested on Development Authorities, has been transferred to Municipal Board or Town Committees for areas within municipal jurisdiction. Urban Development Authorities have been left with implementation and enforcementof the provisions of the Master Plan – in the areas outside municipal limits. The infrastructure development schemes in such areas are also within the purview of the jurisdiction of the Development Authorities.

A list of 24 Development Authority in Assam along with names of Chairman, year of creation, etc is enclosed at Annexure-I link table