Parliamentary committee reiterates adoption of single-window system

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 19

A Parliamentary committee has reiterated several recommendations for Chandigarh, including the setting up of a single-window system to deliver hassle-free services to the residents.

Along with further recommendations on issues such as increasing air and rail connectivity and improving civic amenities, the high-level panel, in its report submitted in the Rajya Sabha, also expressed dissatisfaction over several replies given by the Centre on its suggestions.

“The committee understands that a need to cover the open spaces with corrugated sheets to prevent the raw material from bad weather, theft and rains is sometimes required and need-based internal changes in the buildings and temporary coverage in the courtyard to protect material from being damaged by weather should be permitted,” it recommended.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the “plain reply” given by the Home Ministry on the issue of conversion of industrial plots from lease to free-hold tenure, the committee reiterated its recommendation for conversion. The panel was also not convinced with the response given by the ministry on automobile services stations in the industrial area.

“Violators can be punished but on this pretext service stations cannot be prevented from carrying out their activities,” the panel stated.

Headed by Rajya Sabha member P Bhattacharya, the high-level committee also suggested that a single-window system be made functional and further strengthened by including all departments with a separate grievance mechanism to address problems faced by the residents.

The committee was also “not happy to note” that only two smart schools had been set up in Chandigarh when in this electronic age integrated e-teaching and learning methodologies had become imperative.

“The committee recommends that the UT Administration should take up this issue of upgrading existing schools to smart schools on priority. The committee will also like to be apprised of the status of five schools that were to be upgraded as smart schools in 2014-15,” it stated.

The committee recommended that proposals for a dedicated mother and child care unit, super speciality block, mental health institute and trauma centre be considered at the GMCH and approved within three months.

The panel also talked of lack of civic amenities in the southern sectors.

“The committee earlier recommended improvement of amenities as they cannot wait for finalisation of the Master Plan. The committee, therefore, again recommends that problems of basic civic amenities, including roads, drainage systems, street lights, parks, markets, bus shelters, primary health centres, post office and community centres in southern sectors of the city, should be taken up as day-to-day municipal and administrative work and all above said amenities should be improved,” it said.