Punjab Govt passed The Punjab Laws (Special Provisions for Regularisation of Unauthorised Colony) Bill, 2018

The Punjab Cabinet approved the much-awaited policy to regularise unauthorised colonies developed before March 19 this year. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

Facts :

• In a bid to check the mushrooming growth of unplanned and haphazard constructions across the state, the Punjab Cabinet on okayed a policy for regularisation of unauthorised colonies developed before 19 March, 2018.
• Rural Development Minister Tript Rajinder Bajwa said the policy — “The Punjab Laws (Special Provisions for Regularisation of Unauthorised Colony) Bill, 2018” —would enable residents living in these colonies to get facilities of basic civic amenities such as water supply, sewerage, electricity and road connectivity.
• Nearly 7,000 applications were received by the Housing and Local Bodies Departments. However, only 1,300 were regularised and the remaining were rejected on account of technical inconsistencies or non-payment of dues.
• Under the policy, the government has waived off Rs 143 crore due as interest on the pending dues of the colonisers.
• The charges thus received from the regularisation of a particular colony would be used for providing basic infrastructure to that specific colony only and payment of charges will be made in instalments.
• Besides, committees of officers will be constituted for quick regularisation of colonies as well as plots falling in these unauthorised colonies.
• The Residents Welfare Association (RWA) can also submit an application for regularisation of a colony. Where there is no coloniser, creation of RWA will be mandatory.
• The colonies which have developed the entire area will be cleared on the ‘as-is-where-is’ basis and plots owners who purchased on power of attorney will have to get registered with the revenue department within three months. The developers will pay a composition fee of Rs 3 to Rs 20 lakh based on the size and structure of a colony. The old colonies will pay less.
• Unauthorised colonies have been divided into four categories viz. where up to 25 per cent plots are sold, where 25 per cent to 50 per cent plots are sold, where more than 50 per cent plots are sold and a special provision for exceptional colony having more than 75 per cent built-up area.
• The coloniser will be required to submit registered sale deed within three months from the grant of provisional regularisation certificate in case sale agreements are submitted as proof of sale. No legal action will be initiated against the coloniser who pays full charges as per demand notice. Besides, no interest will be levied on the pending payment.

Analysis :

• The move will give an opportunity to colonisers or residents who have failed to apply for either getting their unauthorised colonies regularised or unauthorised plots or buildings falling in unauthorised colonies compounded under previous policies, or whose application are pending. Fresh applications will also be considered.
• Of a total of 8,000 illegal colonies in the state, 4,500 are under the purview of the housing department while the rest are under the urban local bodies department.
• Even as it is being seen as a populist move, the government plans to earn revenue of at least Rs 3,500 crore by regularising these colonies and plots.
• Local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu opposed the move saying it will turn the state’s cities into slums as more of such settlements will come up in future and also he said if the policy is cleared his department will not take responsibility for the development of these colonies.

Other approvals in the meeting :

Ghar Ghar Rozgar mission approved :

• The state government on Wednesday approved the setting up of the Punjab Ghar Ghar Rozgar and Karobar Mission, with the CM to be the chairman of its governing council. The mission will coordinate with the district employment bureaus under the government’s flagship ‘Ghar Ghar Rozgar’ programme by organising job fests and connecting between the employer and the employee. Greater thrust will be laid on creation of more jobs and entrepreneurs under this mission, which will also coordinate and monitor the work of the District Bureaus of Employment and Enterprises.

GST Act to be amended :

• The Cabinet decided to amend the Punjab Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, through an ordinance in order to simplify the process of filing returns and payment of tax with minimum paper work. The Punjab Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, is a replica of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. The Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment), Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 9, 2018. Similar amendments have to be made to the Punjab Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017.

By: Harman Sandhu