A Framework for Spatial Integration in Planning · A Framework for Spatial Integration in Planning...

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A Framework for Spatial Integrationin Planning

Ashok Kumar

Abstract

The prefix ‘spatial’ in planning signifies integration of various entities relevant to planningsuch as land uses, planning institutions, and stakeholders. This paper first attempts tobroaden the theoretical framework for understanding spatial integration. In order to dothis, spatial integration and associated terms are defined and dimensions of spatialintegration are examined. In the third section a brief discussion is provided about therelevance of spatial integration to metropolitan regional planning with the case of theNational Capital Region. It is argued that there is a need for spatial integration due tofragmentation and multiplication of governing structures and institutions. The need forspatial integration is intensified further by implementation of neoliberal policies of thegovernment and global institutions in the last two decades. In the last section, someconcluding remarks are made.

1. INTRODUCTION

India is a large country with federal political and administrative set up wherebystate governments and central government make and implement numerouspolicies and programmes. The tradition of preparation of five year plans hasbeen maintained in spite of the unleashing of the irreversible process of economicreforms and subsequent neoliberalization of the Indian economy and society.National Planning Commission is still busy in preparing the five year plans forthe country. Recently, the Planning Commission published the Eleventh FiveYear Plan, which also included a chapter on ‘Spatial Development and RegionalPlanning’. This chapter is largely concerned with regional inequalities andeconomic imbalances in states and regions (Government of India, 2008: 139-160). In line with the economic planning efforts at the national level, the fiveyear plans are also prepared and implemented by all the states in the country.The five year plans are detailed out, primarily for financial allocations andlayouts, in the form of annual economic plans. Annual economic plans have alsobeen prepared by the central government, when the government did not havesufficient time left before general elections. While the national PlanningCommission prepares the five year and annual economic plans, it is theempowered National Development Council, which pulls the real levers of powerfor allocation of national funds. Being packages of financial allocations, andprepared by central and state governments, the nature of these plans ispredominantly aspatial and top-down.

Dr. Ashok Kumar is Professor and Head of the Department of Physical Planning at theSchool of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. He researched at the University of Liverpool,England, U.K. for his doctoral degree, which he received in 1992. Email:[email protected]

Institute of Town Planners, India Journal 6 - 2, 26-38, April - June 2009

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Parallel to the centralization movement brought about by the five year plans’,which started over five decades ago, and to which central government hasgiven unflinching support, another movement (in the opposite direction atleast rhetorically if not in reality) of decentralization and devolution of powersand authority in respect of governance of selected functions have commencedafter the Constitution of India was amended in 1992 to insert 73rd and 74thamendments. These amendments created a uniform three tier system ofgovernment both for rural and urban areas in addition to district andmetropolitan planning committees. But this movement of decentralization hasbeen facing specific challenges posed by the process of Neoliberal reforms.Government has been replaced by governance, which means there is reducedcontrol of government and proportionately enhanced control of the private andvoluntary sectors in planning and implementation of various policies. In itsefforts to become enabler rather than provider, this shift in control has led toweakening of government and strengthening of the private and voluntary sectors.This does not necessarily mean lesser government; it only means differentform of government interventions.

Although initially the regional planning efforts in India were of sporadic bouts -first regional plans were prepared for formal regions such as coastal regions,resource regions, hilly areas, etc., and district regional planning, as it came tobe known after 74th Constitution Amendment Act (CAA), was largely non-existent. In fact district regional planning on one hand and metropolitan regionalplanning on the other have never assumed the kind of prominence attached tomaster planning and city planning in India. However, planning in general, anddistrict and regional planning in particular have been radically changed sincethe enactment of statutes, as all the state governments incorporated majorprovisions of the 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendment Acts in 1992. The74th CAA particularly has provided institutional framework in the form of DistrictPlanning Committees (DPCs) and Metropolitan Planning Committees (MPCs) forthe preparation and implementation of district and metropolitan regional plans.As a follow up, spatial planning has been specifically taken on board by thegovernment, which was later adopted by the state governments through localgovernment acts. While progress for the establishment of district planningcommittees has been encouraging, same is not true in the case of metropolitanplanning committees. Out of a total of over 30 metropolitan areas, metropolitanplanning committee is only set up for Kolkata, which also exhibits centralizationtrend rather than decentralization as it has the Chief Minister of the State asits chairman. Elsewhere in the country, the progress has been sluggish.

The main point in tracing briefly the evolution of nature of economic planningand reforms and devolution of powers to local governments is that there havebeen multiple governing institutions in the public, private and voluntary sectors.


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Integration would become crucial for framing and implementation of policiesand programs when there is more than one institution dealing with delivery offunctions. This does not preclude the possibility of integration within an institutionhaving various divisions for delivery of a function. It is in this context that thefive year plans and annual plans have been used as mechanisms of integrationfor financial allocations from centre to state through to district, block andvillage level. Whether these plans have attained financial integration betweencentre, state and local levels is a matter to be discussed in a separate paper. Inthis paper, the primary focus is on the fact that due to fragmentation andmultiplication of governing structures and institutions, there is an urgency toaddress the issue of integration of policies and development plans along withintegration of institutions working at local level. This urgency gets furtheraccentuated when we take into account the 73rd and 74th amendments thathave paved the way for pursuing regional planning at district and metropolitanregion level.

To address the above issues, this paper first discusses and then broadens thetheoretical framework for understanding spatial integration. In order to dothis, spatial integration and associated terms are defined and dimensions ofspatial integration are examined. In the third section a brief discussion isprovided about the relevance of spatial integration to metropolitan regionalplanning with the case of the National Capital Region. It is argued that there isa need for spatial integration due to fragmentation and multiplication ofgoverning structures and institutions. In the last section, some concludingremarks are made.

2. A FRAMEWORK OF SPATIAL INTEGRATION

Integration has dominated the planning profession from the times when itcame to be recognized as a profession. From Patrick Geddes to PatrickAbercrombie planners have recognized the significant role integration couldplay in delivering planning objectives. Planners have spoken about integrationof town with country, city with periphery, urban with rural and city with region(McLoughlin, 1994). Planners also speak of integration of various parts of theeconomy and society. Economic and social integration has been reflected inregional planning policies aimed at ameliorating economic inequalities, andsocial integration is discussed more prominently when planners talk aboutghettoisation of the urban and rural poor. Integration of policies being pursuedat various geographical levels also attracts the attention of the planners. Bothspatial differentiation and homogeneity have propelled regional planning tofocus on integration. Integration in this sense is endemic to planning.

But what is integration after all. Before I outline the dimensions of integration,it is fruitful to provide a working definition of the term ‘spatial integration’.


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As one recent European study notes: “Spatial integration expresses theopportunities for and level of … interaction within and between areas and mayreflect the willingness to cooperate. It also indicates, for example, levels ofconnectivity between transport systems of different geographical scales. Spatialintegration is positively influenced by the presence of efficient administrativebodies, physical and functional complementarity between areas and the absenceof cultural and political controversies”. This definition stresses that interactionsand willingness to cooperate between people and areas have to be central tosuccessful spatial integration. Resolutions to problems could be found byintegrating policies of one region with the other region. For example, transportproblems of CNCR get resolved only through interaction and cooperation amongthe states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.

While writing this paper, I think it would be appropriate to touch upon a relatedconcept of ‘convergence’. Convergence refers to the coming together ofdifferent elements that make up the system for achieving a particular purpose.The concepts of convergence and integration coalesce in that integration iscomprehensive and goals are directed. Spatial integration is the concrete formof convergence and integration that is salient for regional planning practice.Each decision being made by different institutions and stakeholders have multipleimpacts on all other decisions being made by disparate institutions andstakeholders. Therefore, it is significant that the relationships between variousinstitutions and stakeholders are not only completely understood butconsequences of one decision upon the other are weighed before arriving atthe final regional planning policies.

Convergence of development plans prepared at various levels i.e. national,state, region, sub-region, district, block, village and urban areas is significantfor spatial integration. Convergence of various agencies responsible forpreparation and implementation of these plans, convergence of policies andsectors, and convergence of interstate development plans also falls within thescope of spatial integration. However, it is governance of different arenas,times, places and sectors that would ensure realization of convergence.

Integration has also dominated planning theory, although the term does notcome across as a paradigm in theoretical literature. In his classic book JohnBrian McLoughlin outlines the concept of ‘systemic change’ to stress relatednessand embeddedness of planning decisions (McLoughlin, 1969). While explainingthe famous systems view of planning, McLoughlin sketches a sequence of stepsfor the preparation and implementation of development plan from the statementof objectives to monitoring and feedback. In this rational planning process, heclearly points out integration of one step with the other (for example constructionof various models and selection of a model) along with an overarching loopintegrating monitoring and feedback with the statement of objectives. Here


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integration is linear and determined on the basis of instrumental reasoning.However, more recent collaborative planning theory also lays implicit emphasison integration of various discourses through ‘communicative reasoning’ (Healey,1997). Different worldviews are to be integrated rather than one to be prioritizedover others because all viewpoints are regarded equally important and worthyof consideration in the process of public argumentation. Integration however isachieved through interaction and argumentation. In market led planningintegration of institutions working in the market is arguably left to the hiddenhand of the market but at the same state acts as regulator and enabler. Thisshows that integration has been an integral to planning theories of all hues andcolors.

Let me elaborate the concept of integration, which is multifaceted rather thanlinear. Assume a decision has been taken to construct a hydroelectric powerplant in a region by holding huge amounts of water from a river. It is not veryunusual that such decisions are routinely taken and implemented. While thehuge quantity of water held back to run turbines is continually released togenerate power, this is only one outcome of this momentous decision. Thereare a large number of other possibilities that could arise due to construction ofa hydroelectric power plant. Some of these consequences would be directlystemming from the fact that a power plant has been constructed. While forrealizing other possibilities, further decisions may have to be taken. Nonetheless,the fact that the dam has been constructed would make second category ofdecisions more likely. First category of decisions would include generation ofmore power and thus availability of more power in the region for people andindustry and all sorts of economic and non-economic activities. Similarly theremay be water logging around the location where water is held, leading to non-availability of some land for cultivation. Identification of the second categoryof decisions and their integration is equally important. For instance, after theconstruction of the dam, government may decide to build a network of canalsthroughout the region for irrigation and other purposes. This decision mighthave positive implications as more area could be brought under agriculture andrelated activities leading to enhanced gross sown area. Increased gross sownarea may lead to increase in gross output. The surplus produce in turn maybecome available in the markets in the cities of this region. As more power hasbecome available in the region, agro-industry could get a boost paving way forbetter quality of material life in the future. It may be observed that a singledecision to construct a hydroelectricity power plant has a number ofconsequences; one decision has led to another in the form of an endless streamof change. John Brian McLoughlin calls this form of change as ‘systemic change’to stress relatedness and embeddedness of planning decisions. He definessystemic change as ‘a ceaseless flow of change through time’ (McLoughlin,1969: 37).


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Spatial integration is like the glue that planners use to make sense of planningproblems before coming out with reasoned resolutions. Take for example, thecase of a development plan, any plan, regional plan, sub-regional plan, masterplan, zonal plan, layout plan, etc. Spatial integration is paramount because theultimately proposed land utilization and land use plan is nothing but one amongmany mechanisms of displaying integration of land uses at a regional or urbanscale. Other mechanisms could include inter-sectoral integration and policyintegration or organizational integration.

2.1 Dimensions of Integration

Research on spatial integration is beginning to take root in planning in spite ofthe fact the concept has dominated the profession for over a century. Some ofthe latest studies by de Boe et al. (1999) and Sue Kidd (2007) provide a frameworkof integration in spatial planning with the case of regional spatial strategy inNorth West of England. Prior to this research, a number of other authors haveworked on spatial integration, prominent among which are Nunn and Rosentraub(1997), Cowell and Martin (2003), Knox (2003), Kidd and Fischer (2007), Kiddand Shaw (2008), Crozier (2008) and Hull (2008). The following sectionsummarizes these works to arrive at the dimensions of spatial integration.

Sectoral Integration: This form of integration means integration amongdifferent public policy domains and their associated actors within a giventerritorial area. This can be further sub-divided into two categories, ‘cross-sectoral integration’ and ‘inter-agency integration’. Cross-sectoral integrationimplies integration of different public policy domains within a territory, andinter-agency integration implies integration between public, private and voluntarysector agencies within a territory.

Territorial Integration: Territorial integration occurs when integration takesplace between public policy domains of different territories. Cross boundaryissues get resolved through this kind of integration. While vertical integrationis defined as integration between different spatial scales of spatial planningactivity, horizontal integration means integration of spatial planning activitybetween adjoining areas or areas with some shared interest. The objective isto encourage interactions and complementarities across territories with a viewto minimizing negative impacts of development. For example, when theGovernment of the National Capital Territory of Delhi along with other agenciesis looking for appropriate land for relocation of polluting industries or solidwaste management sites outside of Delhi but within the National Capital Region,in such situations the first conflict occurs when Delhi Government finds thatthe NCR or concerned states and local governments do not have such policies toreceive polluting industries or solid waste management sites. To resolve theseplanning conflicts, interactions and discussions among various local bodies andstate governments would take place in order to find out suitable land for


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Sub-Type of Integration

Cross-SectoralIntegration

Inter-agencyintegration

Vertical Integration

Horizontal Integration

Strategic Integration

Operational Integration

Disciplinary/Stakeholder Integration

Religion and Castebased Integration

Region basedIntegration

Definition of Sub-Type

Integration of different public policy domainswithin a territory

Integration of public, private and voluntarysector activity within a territory

Integration between different spatial scales ofspatial planning activity

Integration of spatial planning activity betweenadjoining areas or areas with some sharedinterest

Integration of spatial planning with otherstrategies, programmes and initiatives withina territory

Integration of spatial planning with the deliverymechanisms in all relevant agencies within aterritory

Integration of different disciplines andstakeholders within a territory

Integration of diverse religions and castesthrough spatial planning initiatives

Integration of growing and declining regionsor areas for balanced development

Table 1 A Framework of Iantegration in Spatial Planning

Type of Integration

SectoralInte-gration

TerritorialInte-gration

OrganizationalIntegration

Social Integration

locating polluting industries or landfill sites. It is through territorial integration,which encompasses vertical as well as horizontal integration, that planningauthorities could resolve cross-boundary spatial conflicts.

Organizational Integration: Organizational integration involves cooperationbetween concerned ‘parties’ and their willingness to cooperate amongthemselves. Organizational integration has three dimensions. First is strategicintegration i.e. integration of spatial planning with other strategies, programmesand initiatives within a territory. Second, operational integration i.e. integrationof spatial planning with the delivery mechanisms in all relevant agencies withina territory. Third, disciplinary or stakeholder integration i.e. integration ofdifferent disciplines and stakeholders within a territory.

2.2 Broadening the Scope of spatial Integration

Apart from sectoral integration, territorial integration and organizationalintegration, there are other dimensions of spatial integration which should betaken into consideration. This form of integration has global relevance due to


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enhanced movement of people across the globe. But in the Indian context,migration from the poor to rich states also underscores the relevance of socialintegration.

Social Integration: Cities and regions are inhabited by people of multipleaffiliations. There is obvious diversity of religions and castes, and there is lessobvious difference in terms of regional affiliations. Both forms of diversitieshave deep relationship with urban and regional planning because these diversitiesare socially and spatially constructed. Space and place being the primary concernof planners, attending to these diversities becomes the business of planners.

As we have seen since independence, religion, caste and region have dividedpeople, social integration, among other factors, should inform spatial integration.It should address the important question of how people should create spaceswhich are socially integrated and inclusive (also see Table 1 for an overview).

3. RELEVANCE OF SPATIAL INTEGRATION FOR REGIONAL PLANNING ININDIA

3.1 Cross Sectoral Integration - Diverse Policies and Parties

Economic plan and spatial plan policies within a territory say a district, remaindisintegrated for these are not only prepared by different institutions but arealso based on different premises and time frames. While spatial developmentplans covering a district would look at time frame anywhere between 15 to 20years, economic plans at the most would foresee into the next 5 years. Comparedwith long term spatial plans, economic plans are medium term plans. Differencein time frames, among other factors, could make planning institutions to adoptdifferent bases and assumptions for making planning policies, making cross-sectoral integration difficult, if not impossible.

With economic globalization becoming commonplace, economic policies in Indiagenerally have taken sharp Neoliberal turn while spatial planning policies areyet to catch up with economic reforms. This difference in orientation has alsocaused lack of inter-agency integration. While Neoliberal economic policiesvisualize prominent role for the private and voluntary sectors, public sectorspatial planning still largely depends on government policy framing andimplementation. Lack of integration among public, private and voluntary sectorsin respect of land and real estate development have thus led to spatial conflicts.Conflicts between government, private parties trying to establish SpecialEconomic Zones and the concerned land owners are common. These conflictsare common due to non-coherence of activities of the public and private sectors.

3.2 Territorial Integration

Metropolitan regions such as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and KolkataMetropolitan Region, etc; display unique physical, economic, social and political


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characteristics, and therefore require different institutional, financial and planmaking arrangements. But there are other regions like the National CapitalRegion, which are carved out of a number of state territories. Whatever thecase, metropolitan regions have very large geographical areas, numerous servingorganizations and large population sizes, which throw up irresolvable challengesfor planners and policy makers. Generally, problems of the metropolitan cityseek solutions in the metropolitan region. Land requirements for criticalinfrastructure needs, such as landfill sites, are particularly met from thehinterland. Territorial integration is highly needed for metropolitan regions.

Vertical Integration - Hierarchy of Plans: With population of 37.1 millionaccording to 2001 Census and geographical area 33,578 sq km as per RegionalPlan-2021 (Ministry of Urban Development, 2005: 10 and 22), the NationalCapital Region is characterized by extreme complexity as far as spatial planningis concerned. A complex hierarchy of plans (spatial as well as non-spatial) andinstitutions could be found within the region. Hierarchy of development planswith a focus on Delhi includes regional plan, sub-regional plan, master plan,zonal plans, local area plans and layout plans. Overall spatial plans include theRegional Plan, sub-regional plans for its spatial divisions, master plans for theurban settlements, and we can also add to this district development plans,block development plans and village development plans. While policies containedin urban development plans must conform to each other, the higher order plansare expected to inform policies of the lower order plans. In return, the lowerorder development plans are required to ensure that policies of the higherorder plans get implemented. It is also imperative that urban developmentplans coherently converge with rural development plans and regional plans.Therefore, at the first level, it is expected that policy makers and plannersensure that territorial integration, both vertical integration and horizontalintegration, takes place, if any meaningful implementation is expected to takeplace.

Horizontal Integration - CNCR and its Non-contiguity: Regional Plan-2021 ofthe National Capital Region has demarcated an area of 2,000 sq km as theCentral National Capital Region (Ministry of Urban Development, 2005: 20).Economically, politically and culturally, this area is an important part of theregion after the NCT of Delhi. It has been declared as one of the four policyzones. The CNCR is expected to compete with the NCT of Delhi for redirectingeconomic activities, housing, infrastructure, etc. to this area and consequentlykeeping tab at growing population of Delhi. Need of horizontal integration isobviously felt by the NCRPB:

Keeping in view the physical growth and excessive pressure of development inthe CNCR, the participating states will prepare a Plan for their respective areasfalling in the CNCR and a CNCR Planning Group would be assigned the power to


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Table 2: Application of the Framework of Integration in Spatial Planning

Type ofIntegration

SectoralIntegration

TerritorialIntegration

Organizati-onalIntegration

SocialIntegration

Sub-Type ofIntegration

Cross-SectoralIntegration

Inter-agencyintegration

VerticalIntegration

HorizontalIntegration

StrategicIntegration

OperationalIntegration

Disciplinary/StakeholderIntegration

Religion andCaste basedIntegration

Migration ledIntegration

Region basedIntegration

Definition of Sub-Type

Integration of differentpublic policy domainswithin a territory

Integration of public,private and voluntarysector activity within aterritoryIntegration betweendifferent spatial scales ofspatial planning activityIntegration of spatialplanning activity betweenadjoining areas or areaswith some shared interest

Integration of spatialplanning with otherstrategies, programmesand initiatives within aterritoryIntegration of spatialplanning with thedelivery mechanisms in allrelevant agencies withina territory

Integration of differentdisciplines andstakeholders within aterritory

Integration of diversereligions and castesthrough spatial planninginitiatives

Integration of diversemigrant groups within aterritory

Integration of growingand declining areas forbalanced development

Implications for Planning in India

Synergy between public policiesconcerned with housing, power andtransportation, within a territory likethe NCR

Coherence between public, privateand voluntary sectors activities withinthe NCR for delivery of certainservices such as transportation, etc.

Convergence of planning policiesacross a hierarchy of plans coveringdifferent geographical scales

Convergence of planning policies ofDelhi with the adjoining areas or areaswith some shared interest such asconservation or forestry

Integration of housing policies of DDAwith the infrastructure policies ofdifferent agencies controlled by DelhiGovernment within the NationalCapital Territory of Delhi

Integration of delivery mechanisms ofprovider agencies (for water, power,education, etc.) with a planningagency

Cooperation among stakeholders in aterritory and bringing together a widerange of disciplines and skills togetherfor an issue such as sustainability

Integration of spatial planning policiesfor producing inclusive spacesinhabited by groups of diversereligious and caste affiliations

Integration of immigrants within themainstream city population ofMumbai, Maharashtra

Integration of declining areas with therest of the buoyant region forbalanced economic growth


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coordinate and harmonize the Plan for CNCR under Section 32 of the NCRPBAct, 1985. Emphasis should be given to transportation, civic infrastructure,land use and conservation (Ministry of Urban Development, 2005: 20).

To prepare integrated development plan, all concerned states are required toform a new statutory institution and prepare a coherent development plan byparticularly focusing on identified sectors. However, the demarcated area isnot even contiguous.

3.3 Organizational Integration

Strategic Integration: Health and Planning Policies: Regional Plan-2021 ofthe National Capital Region argues that “There is a need to adopt integratedapproach for the entire NCR in social infrastructure to avoid the problemarising out of disparities in standards of these facilities and the jurisdictions”(Ministry of Urban Development, 2005: 122). But quality health and educationservices are intended to be provided to decongest Delhi rather than ensuringstrategic integration of health policies with spatial planning policies in the NCR.Immigration is not impacted to any discernible extent by health facilities,particularly when we know majority of the immigrants are poor people.

Suppose we face, as we do, the issue of location of health facilities in the NCR.One way of locating these facilities is that all district headquarters would havedistrict hospitals, and furthermore hospitals of categories A and B will be providedas per standards. On the other hand, strategic integration would require thatspatial planning policies such as transportation policies and health policies ofthe government join together to develop integrated health policy as accessibilityof higher order hospitals would be a critical consideration.

Operational Integration: Strategic integration and operational integration areintrinsically related. Strategic integration of spatial plans and health plans maynot necessary work, if delivery mechanisms in both organizations are not madecoherent with one another. Another example, if delivery mechanisms of waterprovider and power provider on one hand, and development of a large townshipby a planning authority do not converge, even after completion of the township,first occupants may have to go without water and power. Alignment of boundariesand unitary authority may help in operational integration.

Disciplinary / Stakeholder Integration: Involvement of professionals fromdifferent disciplines and other stakeholders is crucial for integration because allprofessionals and stakeholders bring in valuable new insights to spatial planning,for let us sustainable environment. Apart planners, professionals fromtransportation agencies, pollution control boards, municipal health engineers,


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and various other agencies could greatly contribute to developing integratedpolicy on sustainable environment.

3.4 Social Integration

Religion and Caste based Integration: Social integration has three forms.First, the religion and caste based Integration involves integration of diversereligions and castes through spatial planning efforts. In this case integration ofspatial planning policies is obtained for producing inclusive spaces inhabited bygroups of diverse religious and caste affiliations. This form of integrationdemands concerted attack on any kind of exclusionary tendencies of spatialplanning and other policies. In India this is the right time to integrate spatialplanning policies and other secular policies to avoid the kind of carnage seen inSurat and other cities during the Gujarat riots. It is also the time to avoidreoccurrence of the kind of massacre seen khairlanji, Maharashtra or riotingand burning seen in Ambala, Haryana. Ghettoisation of people on the basis ofreligion and caste could be stopped or slowed down through integration ofspatial planning and social policies.

Migration led Integration: Global and national level movement of people fromone territory to the other, largely for economic reasons, have becomecommonplace. This has necessitated integration of diverse migrant groupswithin a territory. Integration of immigrants within the mainstream citypopulation of Mumbai, Maharashtra assumes urgency considering large scaledisruptions due to job related concerns of the people of Maharashtra in 2008.Although political parties were accused of politicizing the issue, nevertheless, itis important that the issue of integration of migrants is addressed throughintegration of spatial planning policies with economic and social policies. Themigrant receiving regions are generally prosperous as the Greater MumbaiMetropolitan Region is.

Region based Integration: Related with migration led Integration is the issueof integration of growing and declining areas for balanced development.Integration of declining areas with the rest of the buoyant regions for balancedeconomic growth is significant. This requires that these declining areas areencouraged to attract increased levels of investments for industry andinfrastructure, which could happen with improving on governing structures.The case in point is the region incorporating the states of Bihar and Jharkhand.

4. CONCLUSIONS

Integration among policies, territories and stakeholders is important to avoidwastage of resources and overlapping efforts. Apart from discussing the criticaldimensions of spatial integration, this paper has shown relevance of spatial


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integration to spatial planning in a metropolitan region. It is found that spatialintegration has not been deployed as a mechanism to devise efficient spatialplanning policies.

REFERENCES

Crozier, M. (2008) Listening, Learning, Steering: New governance, communication andinteractive policy formation, Policy and Politics, Vol.36, No.1, pp.3-19.

Cowell, R. and Martin, S. (2003) The Joy of Joining Up: modes of integrating the localgovernment modernization agenda, Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy,Vol. 21, pp.159-179.

De Boe, Ph., Grasland, C. and Healy, A. (1999) Spatial Integration, Study Programme onEuropean Spatial Planning, Strand, (Stockholm, Nordregio). Available at www.nordregio.se/spespn/Files/1.4.final.pdf (accessed 10 December 2008).

Healey, P. (1997) Collaborative Planning - Shaping places in fragmented societies, MacmillanPress, London.

Hull, A. (2008) Policy Integration: What will it take to achieve more sustainable transportsolutions in cities? Transport Policy, Vol.15, pp.94-103.

Government of India (2008) Eleventh Five Year Plan: 2007-2012, Volume I: Inclusive Growth,Planning Commission, Government of India.

Kidd, S. (2007) Towards a Framework of Integration in Spatial Planning: An Explorationfrom a Health Perspective, Planning Theory and Practice, Vol.8, No.2, pp.161-181.

Kidd, S. and Fischer, T.B. (2007) Towards Sustainability: Is integrated appraisal a step inthe right direction, Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, Vol. 25, pp.233-249.

Kidd, S. and Shaw, D. (2008) Integrated water resource management and institutionalintegration: realizing the potential of spatial planning in England, The Geographical Jour-nal, Vol. 173, Issue 4, pp. 312 – 329.

Knox, C. (2003) ‘Joined-up’ Government: An integrated response to communal violence inNorthern Ireland, Policy and Politics, Vol.31, No.1, pp.19-35.

McLoughlin, J. B. (1969) Urban and Regional Planning: A systems approach, Faber andFaber, London.

McLoughlin, J. B. (1994) Centre or periphery? Town planning and spatial political economy,Environment and Planning A, Vol. 26, No. 1111-1122.

Ministry of Urban Development (2005) Regional Plan-2021, National Capital Region, Na-tional Capital Region planning Board, Ministry of Urban Development, Government of In-dia, New Delhi.

Nunn, S. and Rosentraub, M.S. (1997) Dimensions of Inter-jurisdictional Cooperation, Jour-nal of the American Planning Association, Vol.63, No.2, pp.205-219.


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