Punjab Cabinet approved Regularisation of Unauthorised Colonies

The Punjab Cabinet in Month of June 2013 has approved the policy for regularisation of about 5000 unauthorised colonies in the State.

The policy was approved under the Punjab Laws (Special Provisions) Act-2013 and is supposed to provide relief to about 5000 colonies covering two lakh individual plot holders or building owners’ across the State. The policy for regularisation of unauthorised colonies is meant to bring all the unauthorised colonies into the planning framework for regularisation.

Provisions under the Policy of Regularisation of Unauthorised Colonies

• The approved regularization policy will ensure basic civic amenities to the residents of unauthorised colonies or areas.
• The policy, is a one-time opportunity and is applicable for a period of one year starting from 1 April 2013.
• The plot holders or colonisers will have to get their offence compounded for regularisation.
• The colonisers are required to pay composition fee for compounding their offences and the fee will vary from area to area for the colonies.
• ,The approximate rates of composition fee vary from 2.5 lakh Rupees to 15 lakh Rupees for an acre.
• Also, the individual plot or building owners could come forward for regularisation by paying charges from 50 Rupees to 500 Rupees a square yard.
• The policy does not cover colonies which are set up over land belonging to the State, Central Governments, public undertakings, Panchayat lands, Waqf Board, Land under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA).
• All educational institutions, which were not covered under charitable institutions, will be provided 50 per cent rebate on property tax.

Another Major Approval by Government of Punjab

• The Cabinet also gave nod to the amendment in the Land Pooling Policy to enable the land owners to become partners in the development process. As per the amendment, a fixed sum of the value of land would be ensured to the land owner.
• The Council of Ministers also gave its approval to the Punjab Compulsory Registration Marriage Rules, 2013 for registering marriages of residents of Punjab. As per the approval all marriages were required to be registered within 90 days of the solemnisation of the marriages.
• The Cabinet also decided to amend the Punjab Ministers Travelling Allowance Rules, 1953 and the Chief Parliamentary Secretary/ Parliamentary Secretary Travelling Allowance Rules, 2006 to enhance mileage from 12 Rupees to 15 Rupees /km on the usage of their private vehicles in lieu of official cars.
• Also, In another major decision, the Punjab Cabinet announced to charge property tax by amending the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 and the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, in accordance with the recommendations of Cabinet Sub-committee regarding property tax.