KMDA, established in 1970 under presidential ordinance and later sanctified under the KMDA Act of 1972 functions essentially as a development agency with the specific purpose of carrying out major infrastructure development in Kolkata Metropolitan Area(KMA). With the evolution of functions of KMDA over the long 35 years, KMDA has become an epitome for urban planning and development in KMA.
With the enactment of West Bengal Town and Country (Planning & Development) Act in 1979, KMDA was designated as the statutory planning and development authority for KMA. Between 1970 and 1981 KMDA functioned as an overarching development authority in KMA, as most of the units of local self-government in KMA were under suspension with no elected representation in place. It is only with the State Government's avowed policy of decentralized planning and development across the urban and rural areas of the State that elected representation was installed in all the urban local bodies of the State including those in KMA.
KMDA has been working in tandem with the elected ULBs towards the overall development of KMA. The process of decentralized taken a further stride following the enactment of West Bengal Metropolitan Planning Committee (WBMPC) Act in 1994 in line with the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992. Following the provisions of WBMPC Act of 1994, Kolkata Metropolitan Planning Committee (KMPC) had been established in KMA towards the end of 2000. Of the 60-member KMPC, 40 are elected from amongst the local elected representatives.
The WBMPC Act provides for preparation of a Draft Development Plan for KMA by KMPC having regard to the plans prepared by the individual units of local self-government. The Act further mandates that KMPC should co-ordinate all the development activities undertaken by the different agencies of the State and Central Governments within the geographical boundaries of KMA to ensure conformity of developmental actions to the development plans. KMDA has become the technical secretariat of KMPC.
Current Programmes of KMDA
KMDA has been engaged in implementation of the following programmes currently:
Calcutta Megacity Programme (residual only)
Basic Minimum Services
GAP, Phase-II
JNNURM Infrastructure & Urban Governance, Sub Mission-I
JNNURM Basic services to Urban Poor, Sub Mission-II
