Registration of properties in illegal colonies in Punjab is set to undergo a drastic change, and as a result, the process will be easier for people now.
This comes as the Punjab Assembly Tuesday (September 3), unanimously passed a Bill that aims to do away with the practice of no objection certificate (NOC) to register properties in illegal colonies.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who tabled the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the assembly, said this would provide a big relief to the common people.
Mann, while taking part in the discussion on the Bill, said any person who, up to July 31, 2024, has entered into a power of attorney, agreement to sell on stamp paper, or any other such document for an area up to 500 square yards in an unauthorized colony, will not require any NOC for the registration of land.
Such property owners would be entitled to get registration of such an area executed before a registrar or sub-registrar or joint sub-registrar and this exemption of getting such an area registered shall be available up to the date as may be notified by the state government, he said, according to PTI.
The Punjab CM said that the Bill aims to ensure stringent control over illegal colonies, besides providing relief to small plot holders. “This is a major reprieve for the common man as this amendment aims to overcome problems being faced by the public in registration of their plots,” he said.
“It will give a major relief to crores of people who mistakenly invested their hard-earned money in illegal colonies,” said Mann, adding that “these innocent people put their money into building their homes but landed in trouble”.
The Punjab CM pointed out that illegal colonisers dupe people by showing them green pastures and selling their unapproved colonies that often lack basic civic amenities like streetlights, sewerage and others.
Describing the move as an out-of-the-box idea, Mann said the Punjab government has introduced colour coding of stamp papers to facilitate investors in getting the necessary permissions. This, he said, would ensure that the land is optimally utilised only for the purpose for which investors sought necessary permissions.
According to the Bill, if any person or promoter or his agent registered under this Act fails to comply with the relevant provision of the law, they shall be punished with imprisonment for a minimum term of five years which may extend to 10 years and with minimum fine of Rs 25 lakh, which may extend to Rs 5 crore.
(With inputs from media reports/PTI/Main picture on top: PTI)
