Ranchi, 6 December (IANS). Jharkhand’s Urban Development and Housing Department Minister Sudivya Kumar has said that as a departmental minister, regularizing buildings in the urban areas of the state will be his priority. He said that it is also the responsibility of the Urban Development Department to provide pure drinking water in the cities. Necessary steps will be taken in this direction by reviewing the status of availability and supply of drinking water in each city.
Minister Sudivya Kumar, who reached the Urban Development and Housing Department for the first time after the allocation of the ministry on Friday, was welcomed by the Principal Secretary of the department, Sunil Kumar. On this occasion the Minister enumerated his priorities.
He said that special emphasis will be laid on improving the sewerage system in cities to protect cleanliness and environment. The position of municipal bodies will be strengthened by developing their resources and infrastructure. Soon, information about ongoing schemes related to development of cities, beautification of cities and primary facilities will be taken from departmental officers.
It is noteworthy that the Jharkhand government had prepared the final draft for regularizing about seven lakh houses built without valid maps in urban areas in January this year itself. It has been proposed that a fine will be charged for regularizing construction without approved maps. A concessional slab has been prepared for the fine, so that more and more people can take advantage of it.
The committee that prepared the final draft had studied the models of Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. Before this, suggestions and feedback were also sought from the common people to make this proposed scheme more effective and simple. It is believed that now the new government will finalize this policy soon.
–IANS
SNC/ABM
