SRINIKETAN SHANTINIKETAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

ADMINISTRATIVE PROFILE

 Introduction : Sriniketan Santiniketan Planning Area (SSPA) has multiple Urban and Rural Local Bodies within it. They are as follows-

Ø      SSDA is the apex body.
Ø      The Bolpur Municipality has jurisdiction over the Urban Areas.
Ø      Visva Bharati University Estate Dept looks after development activities within the campus.
Ø      The balance comprising rural areas and urban fringes fall under jurisdiction of Gram Panchayats.
Ø      There are few pockets, which comes directly under the jurisdiction of SSDA

Administrative Setup
 Sriniketan Santiniketan Planning Area, as notified under provisions of West Bengal Town & Country (Planning & Development) Act 1979, vide Gazette notification no. 4069-T&CP/IS-25/87 dated 27^th December, 1997, is estimated to be about 108.08 sq.km comprising 44 mouzas (in full) under Bolpur Police Station, Birbhum District, West Bengal. 

The SSPA as delineated under the provision of the said Act of 1979 is shown in Fig-1

Out of 44 Mouzas, 40 fall under following Gram Panchayats (Ref. Appendix-1.1), namely - Sian Muluk; Raipur Surpur; Ruppur & Kankalitala. SSPA also includes Bolpur Municipality consisting of the 4 Mouza as given in Table-1

 Powers and functions of SSDA

The powers and function of SSDA under Section 13, West Bengal Town and Country (Planning & Development) Act, 1979 are -

 1        To prepare Land Use Map;

 2        To prepare and enforce an Intermediate Perspective Plan till such time the LUDCP is prepared, approved and enforced;

 3        To prepare and enforce Land Use and Development Control Plan (LUCDP);

 4        To prescribe use of land within its area;

 5        To perform any other function which is supplemental, incidental or consequential to any of the functions aforesaid or which may be prescribed;

 6        To co-ordinate development activities of all departments and agencies of the state government or local authorities operating within the Planning Area:

 7        To carry out or cause to be carried out such works as are contemplated in the Perspective plans;

 8        To acquire, hold and manage such property, both moveable and immovable, as the Development Authority may deem necessary for the purpose of any of its activities and to lease, sell or otherwise transfer any property held by it;

 9        To purchase by agreement or take on lease or under any form of tenancy, any land and to erect thereon such buildings and to carry out such operations as may be necessary for the purpose of carrying on its undertakings.

 10    To enter into or perform such contracts as may be necessary for the purpose of  its duties and for exercise of its powers under this Act;

 11    To provide facilities for consignment, storage and delivery of goods

Organizational Structure of SSDA

PROJECTS EXECUTED BY SSDA  

      With a view to keep a perfect balance of modern and scientific town planning preserving the cultural and environmental heritage of  Santiniketan this Authority has developed an area over 57 acres at Prantik which is located immediately on the eastern side of Prantik Railway Station.  It is about 2 kilometers from Visva Bharati, Santiniketan and 7 kilometers from Bolpur. 

      The Township is equipped with the following utilities and services which are maintained by this Authority since its inauguration in December, 1994.
a)      Metal Roads, b) Storm Water Drainage, c) Piped Water Supply, d) Electricity, e) Telephone, f) Land scapping.

Construction and Development of Roads in Bolpur, Santiniketan , Sriniketan and surrounding urban fringe areas and rural areas.

Construction of Rest Shed and arrangement of Intensive Cardiac Care Unit at Sub-Divisional Hospital, Sian, Bolpur.

Development of a Forestry.

Development of Solar Village (Urja Gram) at Bondanga.

Arrangements of Rural Drinking Water Supply System at Mirzapur, Dwarakanathpur and Paruldanga

Construction of Low Cost Houses for homeless persons at Moldanga near Sriniketan.

Construction of Rabindra Bhavan Auditorium Complex – First Phase (‘Gitanjali’).

The Auditorium Complex comprises following facilities :-

a)      Main Auditorium with seating capacity of 750 persons.

b)     Seminar Hall with seating capacity of 200 persons.

c)      Meeting Room with seating capacity of 50 persons.

d)     Administrative Office with ticket counters.

e)      Landscapped Garden with fountains. 

      Auditorium is  centrally air conditioned and is  equipped with modern Dolby digital Sound System and with cinema projection facility .  Seminar Hall and Meeting Room are also  air conditioned.

PROJECTS UNDER EXECUTION 

  Construction of Bye-Pass Road at Bolpur

A Bye-Pass Road having a total stretch of 3 kms. (approx) connecting Bolpur-Suri Road at Jambuni Bus Stand and Bolpur-Illambazar Road near Kasimbazar , has been taken up by this Authority to solve the problem of traffic congestion of entire Bolpur, specially the Bolpur station area.  Total Project cost is Rs. 4.00 crores. This is a HUDCO assisted project through grants-in-aid from Urban Development Department, Government of W.B. 

Construction of Commercial Complex at Prantik Township.

As a part of its commitment to develop Prantik Township as a model modern township, this Authority started Commercial Complex at a cost of Rs. 16.00 lakhs.  This project is nearing completion.

Construction and development of roads and bridges in the rural areas under Basic Minimum Services Programme.     

PROJECTS TO BE EXECUT ED 

1.      Development of a Comprehensive  Housing Project at Prabasipally, near Santiniketan.

Acquisition process of 5.19 acres of land for the Project is nearing completion.  Flats/Dwelling units/Commercial units will be constructed for sale among public with facilities of  Parks, Playgrounds, Car Parking Space, Clubhouse, Commercial Centre and Resident Doctor’s Chamber. 

2.      Development of an Environment Park at Lahabandh near Santiniketan.

STATISTICS AND DEMOGRAPHY

Demographic Dynamics of SSPA

Population in SSPA increased from 104521 in 1991 to 127492 in 2001 indicating a simple annual growth of 2.2 per cent over the last decade.  The rate of growth of urban population was considerably higher than that of rural population. The urban population increased at a rate of 2.4 per cent during the same period, as against 2.1 per cent of growth for rural population. Table 2  presents the size of population and growth trend over a few decades for SSPA as a whole and separately for urban and rural segments.

Trend of Population Growth in SSPA during 1951 –2001                 
                                                                                           

Table - 2

Gross Population Density

Gross population density showing the land-man ratio in a given area at a given time has a great significance from the point of view of planning. The population density of SSPA and its constituent units - urban and rural - over the period 1951-2001 is depicted vide  Table- 3.  It may be mentioned here that the data relate to urban area include Visva-Bharati Complex also.

Population Density Variation SSPA  (1951–2001)       

                                                                              Table - 3  
The population of SSPA is increasing gradually. The population density of the planning area, as a whole, increased about 3.6 times during the period from 1951 (328 / Sq.Km) to 2001 (1179 per/Sq.Km). Within SSPA, density of urban area  (Bolpur Municipality and Visva-Bharati Complex taken together) was higher than that of SSPA. Bolpur Municipality, by itself, is more congested part of the planning area. The density worked out to be 4991 /Sq.Km, i.e. more than 4 times as dense as SSPA.

 Age and Sex Distribution of Population in  SSPA 

It transpired that the population of SSPA bears some marks of having a good number of households consisting mainly of working age members.

Age and Sex Distribution of Population in  SSPA