NCRPB Approves ₹5,000 Crore Performance-Linked Incentive Package for Namo Cities Across NCR

Decision Context & Authority

The 42nd meeting of National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) was held on 16 June 2026 in New Delhi. The meeting was chaired by Hon'ble Shri Manohar Lal, Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs and attended by Hon'ble Chief Minister Haryana, Shri Nayab Singh Saini and Hon'ble Chief Minister NCT of Delhi, Smt. Rekha Gupta, with representatives from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Secretaries of MoHUA & MoRTH, and Chief Secretaries of NCR States, along with other senior officers of the Central Government and NCR participating States also participated.

What Was Decided

The NCRPB had on 16 June discussed setting up 'Namo cities' as self-reliant, environmentally sustainable urban centres along the Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors. The Namo City branding itself traces back to a decision in that meeting, where the board proposed four semi-greenfield cities to be developed as mixed-use, transit-oriented developments at select existing and upcoming stations along the Namo Bharat (RRTS) corridors.

These are to be named 'Namo Cities' and will be chosen through a competitive process among the National Capital Region's participating states.

Financial Structure & Incentives

The Board approved a performance-linked incentive of Rs 5,000 crore, structured as a mix of grant, loan and guarantee support, including a Rs 1,000-crore grant component, with NCRPB funding meant to catalyse growth at these nodes. Instead of allocating these funds via traditional bureaucratic quotas, the Ministry is introducing a competitive, merit-based selection process.

Haryana Namo City—Current Status & Scope

The Haryana government has begun the development of Namo City, a greenfield city planned around the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway and the upcoming Delhi-Katra Expressway. The Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) has identified villages across Jhajjar, Sonipat and Rohtak districts for the roughly 9,000-acre project, asking farmers there to give their consent on the e-Bhoomi portal by 31 October.

The HSVP describes Namo City as a mixed-use urban centre with residential, commercial and industrial zones, built around housing, employment, education, health care and recreation.

Development Model & Connectivity

The blueprint speaks of world-class schools and hospitals, parks and organised shopping centres, and a transport network designed so residents can reach public transport within 30 minutes of home. The city is also proposed to be linked to the Namo Bharat regional rail network, tying it into the wider Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) grid taking shape across the National Capital Region.

Selection and Implementation Framework

Each state will have to submit three plans for three identified cities, out of which one will be eligible for selection. The locations have not yet been finalised. Instead, participating states will submit proposals, with the final projects selected through a challenge-based competitive process.

To finalise the region plan of up to 2041, a sub-committee has been formed which will have centre and state officials, who will discuss and assess the suggestions given by the state, and the panel will submit its report by August 15.