Punjab govt amends Development Act

Punjab government today amended the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1955 with an aim to simplify and facilitate the approval of Change of Land Use (CLU) being granted to developers in the state.
A decision to this effect was taken in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here, an official spokesman said.
The Cabinet also amended section 83 of the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1955 to the extent that the condition of validity of two years has been removed to give boost to development process, the spokesman said.
"From now onwards, the permission of CLU once granted would remain valid as per terms and conditions of the approval," the spokesman said.

The Cabinet approved to place the Punjab Development of Trade, Commerce and Industries Bill, 2015 in the ongoing session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to create a fund of development of Trade, Commerce and Industry through the levy of non-discriminatory and compensatory tax on the goods imported into Punjab from other states.
"The fund would be administrated by the Punjab Development of Trade and Commerce and Industry Board constituted as prescribed in the Punjab Development of Trade, Commerce and Industries rules," he said.

The fund would be utilized exclusively for development or facilitating trade, commerce and industry in the state and for other welfare measures for the general public in the local area, which would include; developing industrial estates, focal points and industrial clusters.

The Cabinet also approved to lay reports of Comptroller Auditor General of India (CAG) related to the Punjab government for the year 2013-14 on the table in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha during the ongoing Budget Session.
The Cabinet also considered the budgetary proposals for 2015-16 and accorded its approval to the same, the spokesman said.