With a major thrust to ensure affordable housing to the weaker sections of the society ,Punjab Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday approved the policy for Housing and Urban development Punjab-2013.
The new policy is also expected to focus on the rationalisation of norms for the housing projects thereby making the procedures far simpler and time bound.
The policy, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said, had also envisaged the issues of rationalised development controls, common buildings rules, incentives for construction of affordable houses and green buildings, procedures and time lines of approval of various projects and rationalization of potential zones, density and charges.
The policy has also emphasized on the need to evolve a mechanism by including a two new policies of ‘land Pooling’ and ‘land Owners become Partner in Development’ to avoid any inordinate delay due to cumbersome process of land acquisition.
These policies were aimed at acquiring land easily for the urban development projects for the benefit of both Government as well as the land owners.
nStamp duty on power of attorney in order to mop up additional revenue in the state kitty, the Cabinet also gave approval to levy stamp duty at the rate of two per cent on the Power of Attorney given for sale or transfer of land to non family transferees by amending entry number 48 of Schedule 1-A of the Indian Stamp Act 1899.
nlaw officers to be appointed with DGP, PSs: Taking a serious note of ever increasing litigation in the various departments, the Cabinet also decided to appoint senior law officers with the Principal Secretaries of the nine major departments and four with the Director General of Police.
The decision has been done so that due care and attention could be paid to the ongoing cases besides avoiding unwarranted litigation
In addition 22 posts of the District Attorney and Deputy District Attorney in the offices of Deputy Commissioners across the state has been created to give legal advice to them so that speedy and quality disposal of cases could be carried out where legal issues were involved.
n Directorate of Maize Research: In another significant decision clearing the decks for setting up of the Directorate of Maize research in the state, the Cabinet also approved transfer of 100 hectares of land in ladowal near ludhiana, free of cost to the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR).
The step was aimed at giving a major thrust to the much needed agriculture diversification program in Punjab. This endeavor would also help in development of new hybrid and high yielding varieties of maize thereby contributing in improving the income of farmers substantially.
nAmendment in Superior Judicial Service Rules, 2007: In wake of the directions of the Apex Court, the Cabinet also gave nod for amending the Punjab Superior Judicial Service Rules, 2007 thereby changing the percentage of promotion to superior judicial services from 50 per cent to 65 per cent and out of turn promotion based on exam from 25 per cent to 10 per cent.
n421 posts in Prosecution and litigation department
Taking a serious note of shortage of officials in the Prosecution and litigation department at district level and the consequential difficulties faced by the general public in pursuing their cases in the court, the Cabinet approved the recruitment of 421 posts in next three years.
This step was aimed at expediting long pending cases in the courts with more focused attention.
nTransfer of vacant land: The Cabinet also decided that the vacant lands of the Irrigation department which could not be used in any manner by it would be transferred to the Housing and Urban development department for its optimum utilisation. The revenue generated from it would be used for the strengthening, revamping and creating infrastructure in Irrigation department.
nDy CM as PIDB co-chairman: Cabinet also approved to amend section 18 (2) and 19 (ii) of Punjab Infrastructure (Development and Regulation) Act 2002 in order to induct Deputy Chief Minister Punjab as Co-chairman of the Board of Punjab Infra Structure Development Board (PIDB).