Acting tough against setting up of illegal colonies in the State, Punjab Government on Tuesday proposed penalty and punishment for promoters who were found to have constructed such colonies in the state.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal presented Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment Bill),2014 in the State Assembly on the last day of the budget session wherein promoters could be imprisoned for a minimum term of three years which may extend to seven years with a fine of Rs2 lakh which may extend to Rs5 lakh for contravening the provisions of the law.
The Bill also has a provision for making 35 per cent of the total cost as bank guarantee mandatory by promoter for getting approval for their project.
“If within five years, the project is not completed by the promoter, the bank guarantee would be forfeited by the State Government,” said Badal.
He further pointed out that with these amendments, the promoters of colonies would now provide basic amenities to purchasers of the houses or apartments.
The Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 1995 provides for establishment of new colonies, granting licenses for the same and for regulation of construction.
Notably, there is no provision in the act for prohibiting development of illegal colonies and illegal constructions which led to a number of unauthorised colonies and constructions coming up in the state.
Badal informed the House that the state government would now get land from colonisers under the law and get houses for economically weaker section (EWS) constructed.
“We have already got 300 acres of land for such project,” he said. The Deputy Chief Minister further said the state cabinet would soon extend the unauthorised colonies amnesty scheme for three months to enable more and more people to take benefit of it.
despite opposition, pvt varsities bill passed
Despite stiff opposition by the legislators, Punjab Assembly on Tuesday allowed two more private universities — Ryat-Bahra University and GNA University — in the state.
MlAs, both from the treasury and opposition benches, expressed their displeasure over setting up of new universities while not imposing any regulatory check on the quality of education, fee structure, value of their degrees in the field, among other things.
As the BJP MlA and former Minister Manoranjan Kalia called for a need to set up a regulatory commission for such private universities, SAD MlA Pawan Kumar Tinu demanded genuine fee structure, high powered committee to ensure that such universities don’t indulge in profit-making exercise, stress on sports, and implementation of reservation policy.
Peeved, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Mohan Mittal lashed on the MlAs and asked them from making careless comments on such universities which are providing education to state’s youth when the government does not have enough funds to set up its own universities or educational institutes.
civic body, municipal (Amendment) Bills, 2014
Amidst stiff opposition, the State Government passed the two Bills providing “concessions” in the property tax under the two Acts.
Demanding withdrawal of the property tax, the Congress MlAs staged a walkout. BJP MlA Kalia too pointed faults in the state government’s Bill stating that a defaulter can’t be penalised twice. “Either impose a penalty or interest…you cannot penalise a person twice,” he said.
Clarifying Sukhbir Badal said that the Bill has all the decisions already taken or imposed, and a new Bill would be taken up in the Cabinet soon.
leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar maintained that instead of extending date after date and making one change after another, state government should fulfil its election promise of withdrawing the property tax.
The Assembly also passed Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2014 to set up Police Complaint Authorities at state and divisional level.
Punjab Advocates Welfare Fund (Amendment) Act, 2014, was also passed to increase the stamp paper rates from Rs eight to 15, and utilizing the same money to provide financial help to the families of deceased advocates.
Punjab State Commission for Women (Amendment) Bill, 2014, also get Assembly’s nod to create a post of vice-chairman in the State Women Commission by amending the Punjab State Women Commission Act, 2001 to discharge its functions in an effective and result-oriented manner to safeguard the rights of women on one hand, and ensure their empowerment on the other.
Other Bills passed: Punjab land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2014; Punjab technical University (Amendment) Bill, 2014; Punjab Gau Sewa Commission Bill, 2014; Punjab Rent (Amendment) Bill, 2014; Punjab Motor Vehicles Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2014; and Punjab Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2014.