The Housing and Urban Development Minister, Punjab, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa today directed the departmental officers to chalk out such housing projects keeping in mind the needs of the middle class so as to enable them to fulfill their dream of owning a house. He also said that the approach of the housing and urban development department should be to provide affordable housing to the common people instead of making profits like private builders.Presiding over a high level meeting of the department, Mr. Bajwa said that along the big cities the middle and small size colonies need to be developed in the small cities and the towns in order to ensure that the people are not forced to buy plots in the unauthorized colonies.Instructing the field officers of the department via video conferencing to dispose off the applications received with regard to the regularization of the unauthorized colonies as well as the plots within a fortnight (15 days) Mr. Bajwa also directed them to make sure that nobody faces any difficulty in submitting applications. The minister further added that the HDFC Bank should also open an assistance counter in office of the each development authority apart from the branches.
Moreover, the facility of submitting applications must also continue in the sewa kendars too.Mr. Bajwa also elaborated that information ought to be given to him by 5 PM everyday about the number of applications received from the plot owners and the colonizers and every Friday he must be apprised off the number of applications disposed off. He also said that this is the last chance of regularizing the unauthorized colonies, plots, buildings and after this no plot and colony would be regularized.Mr. Bajwa also appealed to the unauthorized colonizers and plot holders to take maximum advantage of this new policy initiative of the Punjab Government and get their colonies and plots regularized. It was also decided in the meeting that e-auction would be conducted by the different development authorities of the department from 1st to 10th of every month.Among others present in the meeting included Additional Chief Secretary Mrs. Vini Mahajan, Chief Administrator GMADA Mrs. Gurneet Kaur Tej, Additional Chief Administrator Mr. Rajesh Dhiman, Estate Officer Amninder Kaur Brar, Chief Town Planner Mr. Gurpreet Singh, Engineer In Chief Mr. Rajiv Moudgill and Chief Engineer Mr. Sunil Kansal.