DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

In a major relief to the common man the Punjab Vidhan Sabha led by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday unanimously passed historic Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2024 to do away with the practice of No Objection Certificate (NOC) for registration of land deeds.

Winding up the discussion on the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2024 at the floor of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the Chief Minister said that this amendment aims to ensure stringent control over the illegal colonies besides giving relief to the small plot holders. He said that this is a major reprieve for the common man as this amendment aims to overcome the problem being faced by the general public in registration of their plots and to put a check on development of unauthorized colonies. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this amendment stipulates provisions of penalty and punishment to offenders adding that it is a historic decision aimed at ensuring the well being of common man.

The Chief Minister said that as per the amendment any person who upto July 31, 2024, for an area upto five hundred square yard situated in an unauthorized colony, has entered into a power of attorney, agreement to sell on stamp paper, or any other such document will not require any No Objection Certificate for registration of land. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that such property owners will 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 upto such date as may be notified by the State Government in this behalf. He said that intimation of each such document of sale shall be given by the Registrar or Sub- Registrar or Joint Sub-Registrar to the concerned development authority provided that he shall register subsequent sale deeds in respect of such property, if it has not been divided, even after the date of exemption.

The Chief Minister said that any person or promoter or his agent registered under this Act, and any other promoter, who, without reasonable cause, fails to comply with or contravenes the provisions of Section 5 shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a minimum term of five years which may extend to ten years and with minimum fine of rupees twenty-five lac, which may extend to rupees five crores. He said that the illegal colonisers dupe the people by showing them green pastures and sell their unapproved colonies to them, san basic civic amenities in form of street lights, sewerage and others. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the hapless

people have to then run pillar to post for getting the basic civic amenities in these colonies.

The Chief Minister said that the colonisers mint the money illegally but people have to bear the hardships due to their misdeeds. He said that the previous governments had regularized the illegal colonies thrice despite the fact that every time it had a clause that it won't be repeated again. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that being one of the most experienced Chief Ministers of the country he had taken this decision to legalize the plots of common man and not the illegal colonies.

The Chief Minister said that in an out of the box idea the state government has introduced color coding of the stamp papers to facilitate the investors for getting the necessary permissions. He said that this will ensure that the land is optimally utilized only for the purpose for which the investors had sought the permissions. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the illegal colonies had mushroomed up during the long misrule of the previous governments as the earlier rulers had patronized the illegal colonizers.

The Chief Minister said that this bill will give a major relief to the crores of people who had mistakenly invested their hard earned money in the illegal colonies. He said that these innocent people had put their money into building their homes but landed in trouble due to illegal colonies. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the people will never forgive the leaders who had sheltered the illegal colonizers and have already shown the door to them.

The Chief Minister said that now the leaders are seeking apologies for their misdeeds whereas they themselves do not know what mistake they have committed. He quipped that these leaders are now seeking pardon for their actions but they should remember one thing that apology may be given for the misdeeds but sins are unpardonable. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that these leaders have committed heinous sins against the state and its people which can never be forgiven.
(editor@dailyworld.in)