The Local Government Department is well on course towards implementation of its path breaking and futuristic measures and as part of this, the modalities regarding One Time Settlement (OTS) policy aimed at regularizing the illegal constructions have been completed by the department and the policy would be presented for the approval of the cabinet in the cabinet meeting scheduled for January 2.”Disclosing this here today while interacting with the media-persons at Municipal Bhawan in sector-35, the Local Government Minister, Punjab, Mr. Navjot Singh Sidhu made it clear that the policy has been formulated as a onetime measure only and afterwards there would be heavy penalties for those indulging in illegal constructions. The minister further divulged that the one time settlement policy also includes giving chance of getting their old buildings regularized to those who have done so without the Change in Land use (CLU). Mr. Sidhu also elaborated that this initiative would result in making the department self sufficient from financial point of view. Calling Advertising a significant source of revenue generation, Mr. Sidhu said that Ludhiana is leading the pack with Rs. 25 crore revenue which earlier was a meager Rs. 9 crore.
The minister also said that 200 shops in Amritsar have been allotted to the victim families of 1984 riots.Listing other measures, Mr. Sidhu said that after the rolling out of the online building plan approval scheme last year, till now 500 plans have been submitted online and after 15th January it would be mandatory to submit the plans through online mode only.Coming to the skill development sector, Mr. Sidhu said that an MoU has been signed between the Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC) and Tata Technologies Limited (TTL) which would establish Innovation, Incubation and Skill Development Centre (IISDC) centres at Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar.Elaborating on other important aspects, the minister said that apart from strictly implementing the fire safety norms emphasis is also being laid on the GIS Mapping of the buildings to stall the illegal constructions and by June this year, the process would be completed.On the occasion, the Food and Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Minister, Punjab, Mr. Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Industries & Commerce Minister Mr. Sunder Sham Arora, Principal Secretary, Local Government Mr. A. Venu Prasad, Director Local Government Mr. Karnesh Sharma and CEO, PMIDC Mr. Ajoy Sharma were also present.