The chairperson of Infrastructure Affairs Standing Committee of the House Hon. Ato Wubneh Imiru said that the draft proclamation of urban plans would support to facilitate the prevailing urban development which is being carried out allover the country in a speedy manner.

Hon. Ato Wubneh displayed this on 6 February 2008 while he concluding the public hearing conducted by the committee in regard of the proclamation of urban plans.

He expressed that the Infrastructural Affairs Standing Committee of the House would support the efforts on enactment of urban plans legislation that would contribute to facilitate the ongoing speedy urban development allover the country.

According to the preamble of the proclamation to provide for urban plans law, the issuance has become necessary to regulate and formulate sound and visionary urban plans to bring about balanced and integrated national, regional and local development to fully participate the public and stakeholders on the process of urban initiation, preparation and implementation on the basis of national standard.

Besides, as per Article 4 of the bill, the principal objective of the draft proclamation is to establish a legal framework in order to promote planned and well developed urban centers and to regulate and facilitate development activities in urban centers and thereby enhance development of the country.

Meanwhile, questions were raised on the provisions of the bill and responses were given by Ato Tamiru Wondimagegnehu head of the Houses Development Agency under the Ministry of Works and Urban Development.

Ato Tamru expressed that the enactment of the bill has become necessary to replace the enacted urban planning legislation with the view of unitary system of government with the sprit of decentralized federal structure and to regulate public health and environmental pollution in from prevailing development undertaking in urban centers curried out by private and public sectors.

Moreover, he stated the draft proclamation creates suitable condition for urban plans to prepare and implement plans backed by federal and regional governments which contributes to even development of towns.