The draft policy for regularizing the illegal colonies across Punjab has been approved by the group of Ministers, tasked with the framing of the same, amidst opposition by some of the Ministers, led by the state local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.
The draft would now be forwarded to the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, before placing the same before the Cabinet for final approval.
The Housing and Urban Development Minister Tri[pat Rajinder Singh Bajwa on Tuesday presented the draft policy before the group of Ministers including Sidhu, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Sunder Sham Arora, and Vijay Inder Singla, during a meeting.
“The draft was discussed in a precision like and minute manner, and after some modifications, the consensus has been reached on the same,” said the government spokesperson.
It has been learnt that there was disagreement on certain points in the draft policy for regularizing the unauthorized colonies, with Sidhu leading the charge. Notably, Sidhu has launched a campaign against the illegal colonies, starting from Jalandhar following which he was on a collision course with his own party colleagues.
The Pioneer has been informed that all the previsions proposed in the draft policy, prepared by the Housing and Urban Development Department, has been given a go-ahead by the Group of Ministers. However, objections were raised on determining the rate for linking sewerage of the illegal colonies with the sewerage system of the concerned urban local body.
While the Housing and Urban Development Department had proposed the rates to be Rs three lakh per acre, the local Government Department wanted the charges to beat the rate of Rs 11 lakh per acre.
During the meeting, objections were also raised on the concessions being given to the colonizers. Besides, some of the Ministers argued upon the relaxations being given to the colonizers in terms of total saleable area allowed, width of roads, and doing away with provisions of parks and open spaces, among other things.
After the meeting, Bajwa said that the draft policy regarding the regularization of the new colonies has been through some modifications after deliberations with the other ministers present in the meeting and MlAs and the consensus has been arrived at in this regard.
“The modified draft would be sent to the Chief Minister this week itself for the approval after which it would be sent to the Cabinet for approval,” he said.
Bajwa said that major relief has been given to the people and the colonizers at the time of modifying the policy keeping in view the instructions of the Chief Minister and the promises made in the election manifesto. He also said that efforts have also been made to consider the interests of all the stakeholders while framing new policy. In the upcoming policy, special priority has been accorded to implement the suggestions aimed at the development of the colonies as well as securing the interests of the residents of these colonies, he said.