The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday directed the UT Administration to implement the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 at the earliest.
The MHA also asked the UT Administration to ensure that private properties do not get affected by the ongoing exercise of listing heritage buildings or structures in Chandigarh.
In a meeting of senior officials of the Union erritories held under Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday, the UT Administration has been asked to implement the MSMED Act.
During the meeting, it was observed that MSMED Act, 2006 has been enacted by the Parliament and has been put to implementation by various State Governments/UTs except Union Territory of Chandigarh wherein it remains to be implemented.
Consequently, the Home Minister directed that the UT of Chandigarh to implement the Act in a quick and time-bound manner.
This Act has proved to be instrumental in revival of sick, medium and small scale units. The implementation of the MSMED Act has been a bone of contention between industrialists and the Administration here. During last year, MHA had pulled up the UT Administration for not having an industrial policy and had asked it to formulate one in line with the MSMED Act.
The MSMED Act was formulated with an aim to facilitate the promotion and development and enhancing the competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises. In the past, the Industries Association of Chandigarh has given numerous representations to the Administration and Union Government for enactment of the Act, but in vain.
Meanwhile, the Home Minister on Tuesday also asked the UT Administration to ensure that private properties do not get adversely affected by the ongoing task of listing out of buildings or structures to be declared as heritage buildings here.
Even if some private properties have to be declared as Heritage Structures then heritage rules should provide for adequate compensatory provisions, he said. Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee, constituted on the directions of MHA, is currently undertaking the task of listing out the structures/building etc to be declared as heritage buildings.
In a major initiative to preserve Chandigarh’s heritage; the buildings, campuses, and natural features have been categorised as heritage zones, heritage precincts and heritage buildings here.
The Administration has also started the process to formulate conservation management plan for Chandigarh and framing up of conservation byelaws/specific regulations, guidelines and conservation principles.