Punjab govt to come up with revised OTS policy

PATIALA: The Punjab government has decided to come up with a revised one-time settlement (OTS) policy for non-compoundable building violations.

The state local government department has prepared a draft policy, “The Punjab onetime voluntary disclosure and settlement of building constructed in violations of the building bylaws policy, 2021”, after incorporating suggestions of all stakeholders, including municipal corporations, councils, nagar panchayats and improvement trusts.

The earlier policy was conceptualised and notified during the tenure of former local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, but was put in abeyance after Brahm Mohindra took charge in June 2019.

Mohindra then termed the policy faulty and asked officials to revise it before re-implementing it. The policy was held back as it received a lukewarm response.

The new draft policy aims to keep check on non-compoundable building violations so that they could be corrected once the policy is notified, said an official aware of the development.

“It will provide people the opportunity to get their unauthorised residential and commercial units regularised by paying composition fee, which has been slashed by 25% than the previous notified policy,” the official said.

The regularisation policy is meant to ensure that the existing unauthorised buildings were aligned with parking, fire and safety standards, as it was no longer feasible for the government to demolish such structures.

Local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra said all formalities have been completed and the draft policy has been sent for legal noting.

“After going through the suggestions from stakeholders, we have redrafted the earlier policy so that maximum people can be benefitted. The notification related to the fresh policy will be out soon,” Mohindra said.

Under the new policy, an applicant will have to make structural changes in the building, if required, to fulfil the requirement of fire safety and parking within two months from the date of submission of details and will also submit mandatory clearances from other departments.