NEW DELHI: The Union government has reorganized the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs by establishing two distinct departments: the Department of Capital Development and the Department of Urban Development, as per a recent gazette notification.
The Department of Capital Development will oversee functions associated with the national capital and the Union government. Its responsibilities include managing the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), Union government buildings, land acquisition, and development within the National Capital Territory, as well as planning for the National Capital Region (NCR).
The changes took effect immediately following the notification from the Cabinet Secretariat.
The Department of Urban Development will focus on developing and executing national urban policies related to housing, sanitation, urban transport, and climate adaptation. Additionally, it will oversee the implementation of major flagship programs such as the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), and the PM SVANidhi.
Furthermore, this department will administer key legislation relevant to the urban sector, including the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) and the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act.
In a separate amendment to the Allocation of Business Rules, the Centre has transferred the responsibility for stationery, printing, and official publications of the Government of India to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
