Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday approved a new policy to check the practice of illegal conversion of industrial plots in industrial focal points or estates to non-industrial purposes, which were blatantly flouting the stipulated norms of parking and public safety for building construction.
The policy would be instrumental to prevent unauthorised conversion in these areas besides ensuring redevelopment of industrial focal points or estates according to the present day needs, said a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s office.
The new policy envisages conversion of industrial plots falling in industrial focal points or estates, set up by the Government or any of its agencies, to hotels and hospitals, group housing, residential, institutional and commercial uses, with a rider of maintaining 100 metres distance from ‘red industries’ — including petrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals that fall under the highly-polluting category.
Conversion charges in terms of 25 per cent of collector rate for residential use minus collector for industries use, whichever is more, would be applicable in case of hotels and hospitals.
likewise, in case of residential flats, collector rate of residential use minus collector rate of industrial use would be applicable.
Two third of collector rate of commercial use minus collector rate for industrial use would be applicable in case of commercial use to determine the conversion charges. One-tenth of collector rate of residential use minus collector rate for industrial use would be applicable in case of institutional buildings.
No change of land use (ClU), External Development Charges (EDC) would be charged in case of shifting industries from Municipal limit within three years, said the spokesperson, adding
that the benefits of ClU and EDC would be given for vacated lands.
Notably, over a period of time with the expansion of urban areas, the present location of these industrial focal points or urban estates having densely populated areas around them has become unsuitable from traffic and environment point of view.
Further, the increased land prices of urban properties have lured a number of plot owners to convert their industrial plots to non-industrial uses illegally thereby blatantly ignoring public safety norms.
In another major decision to provide relief to people across the State, Cabinet approved to provide 50 per cent stamp duty exemption on execution of conveyance deeds in respect of affordable houses and similarly 20 per cent exemption on new flats.
The Cabinet also gave nod to float tenders for next phase of Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Bima Yojana from November 1, 2016, to October 31, 2017, as the scheme, started in November 2015, was completing its term on October 31, 2016.
In the extended policy, around 12.50 lakh more beneficiaries were expected to be added and around 40 lakh beneficiaries families would be benefitted under the extended scheme from November 1, 2016.
Around 26.50 lakh blue card holders, farmers, traders and labourers families have been availing benefit of health insurance amounting to Rs50,000 and compensation of Rs5 lakh in case of accidental death or disability of head of family under this scheme
In an effort to promote industrialization in the state, the Cabinet gave approval to the proposal of supplying electricity to small power industrial consumers at concessional tariff of Rs4.99 per unit during 2016-17.
Approval has also been accorded to pay subsidy of approximately Rs29.97 crore to Punjab State Power Corporation limited (PSPCl) for 2016-17 as a difference of 48 paise per unit in tariff to small power industrial consumers determined by
Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) at Rs5.47 per unit and the concessional tariff at Rs4.99 per unit announced by the State Government.
Punjab government would suffer the loss of Rs112.73 crores as the Cabinet accorded ex-post facto approval to revise quota of Punjab Medium liquor (PMl), Indian Made Foreign liquor (IMFl) and Beer and estimated revenue to be accrued during 2016-17.
With the motive of breaking monopoly and provide liquor at affordable rates to the consumers, the allotment of liquor vends was made in small groups due to which some of the licensees did not participate actively in the allotment process, remained un-allotted.
Keeping the state’s revenue interest in minds, the government decided to allot vends to these un-allotted groups through tender process by reducing reserve price after taking the approval of the competent authority.
"All liquor vends of the State have been allotted. Now, the quota of PMl will remain at 1,010.98 lakh proof litres instead of 1,030 lakh proof litres and IMFl quota will remain at 473.04 lakh proof litres, instead of 475 lakh proof litres, and that of beer will remain at 329.97 lakh proof litres instead of 330 lakh bulk litres," said the spokesperson.
With this, projected revenue for 2016-17 will be Rs 5348.22 crores instead of Rs 5460.95 crores, he added.
To ensure holistic and planned development outside the urban areas and encourage the setting up of "low density eco-friendly residential projects", the Cabinet gave a go ahead to the ‘low Density Country Homes Residential Development Policy’ with minimum 30 acres.
"This policy would be aimed at checking sporadic growth of farm houses in agriculture zones besides ensuring integrated and planned development in the outskirts of urban areas," the spokesperson said.
Cabinet also gave approval to grant Rs one lakh each to the pilgrim of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra on the pattern of this facility already being extended to the pilgrims in other state of the country.
In another pro-poor initiative, the Cabinet approved to provide 200 free units of electricity to the domestic consumers belonging to backward classes on the pattern of SC consumers.
likewise, the Cabinet also gave approval for the construction of boundary walls, one room and drinking water facility within the cemeteries and graveyards for Christian and Muslims respectively at government expenditure.
In case, where no government land was available for Muslim graveyards and Christian cemeteries, the state government would purchase requisite land and the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) would fund the entire expenditure for this purpose.