Punjab GoM nod for new policy on regularisation of illegal colonies

Despite reservations from some Ministers and legislators, a draft policy framed by the Punjab government for the regularisation of illegal colonies was approved by a Group of Ministers here on Tuesday with some modifications.

"The policy was deliberated upon minutely and after some modifications a consensus on the same was reached," Housing and Urban Development Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa said after the meeting here.

The meeting was attended by Cabinet Ministers Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Sunder Sham Arora and Vijay Inder Singla. Congress legislators, senior officials of departments concerned and colonisers also attended.

Bajwa told the media that the modified draft would be sent to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh this week for his approval after which it would be sent placed before the Cabinet for approval.

"Major relief has been given to people and colonisers while modifying the policy in view of the Chief Minister's instructions and promises made in the Congress election manifesto. Efforts have been made to consider the interests of all stakeholders while framing the new policy," the Minister said.

He said that priority has been accorded to implementation of suggestions regarding development of these colonies as well as securing the interests of their residents.

Colonisers and property dealers welcomed the proposed policy and assured that in future no coloniser would develop an illegal colony, he said.

In the past couple of decades, a number of illegal colonies without prior approval from departments concerned and not part of the urban planning have sprung up across Punjab as authorities looked the other way.

People have built houses in these illegal colonies and demolishing these is practically impossible for the state government.

The regularisation will help the residents of these illegal colonies access basic facilities like power, water and sewerage connections and roads.

--IANS

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