The Punjab Government would come up with a people-friendly policy regarding the unauthorized colonies simultaneously taking care of all the stakeholders.
Stating this after holding two meetings with the colonizers on Wednesday, the state Housing and Urban Development Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa said that the new policy would be in the public domain by June 30, this year.
Bajwa said that a cabinet sub-committee, constituted on the directions of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, had submitted a policy to the Cabinet which approved it but there were some reservations and suggestions from the stakeholders. “Thus, it is now decided to give relief to all the stakeholders before notifying the new policy,” he said.
Taking forward this step, Bajwa gave a call to colonizers to present their views before drafting new policy regarding regularization of colonies. “I have held separate meetings with the unauthorized and authorized colonizers to give a hearing to their grievances and suggestions. I also assured that committee would try to incorporate maximum suggestions in the policy put forward by the colonizers in the meeting,” he said.
The Minister said that after the meetings, it has been decided to constitute a four-member officer committee which would look into the grievances and suggestions of the colonizers.
“The officer committee would give a final shape to the draft of the new policy keeping in view the interests of general public, all the stakeholders including colonizers, plot holders and government,” he said.
Bajwa said that the committee would submit the new policy draft which would be further discussed with the group of Ministers. After this, the final draft would be uploaded on the department website for any further suggestion, he added.
The Minister said that by the end of this month, the final draft would be placed in the Cabinet for approval and by June 30 the new policy would be in place.
Bajwa assured all present in the meeting that the new policy would be beneficial for all but the interests of the common people would be on the top of the priority list. “The issue of unauthorized colonies is a matter of grave concern. Interests of all the affected parties viz the residents or plot holders of the unauthorized colonies and the promoter or colonizers would be addressed,” he said.