Bill for civic amenities in illegal colonies passed

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 31

On the last day of its Budget session, the State Assembly today passed seven more Bills, including a Bill to provide civic amenities in unauthorized residential colonies.

The Haryana Management of Civic Amenities and Infrastructure Deficient Municipal Areas (Special Provisions) Bill, 2016, was passed by voice vote to make a special provision for providing essential services in civic amenities and infrastructure deficient municipal areas in the state. The Act would replace the Haryana Management of Civic Amenities and Infrastructure Deficient Municipal Areas (Special Provisions) Act, 2013.

There are a number of unauthorized colonies or areas which have 50 per cent or more constructed plots and fulfil other parameters of the Act of 2013. The government had decided to notify colonies as civic amenities and infrastructure deficient areas fulfiling parameters as on March 31,2015, so that deficient amenities and infrastructure can be provided.

Other Bills passed on last day of Budget session

Consolidation Bill: The Vidhan Sabha passed the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Haryana Amendment Bill, 2016, to amend the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948 in its application to Haryana. The Bill aims at streamlining the work of consolidation and to broaden the scope of consolidation, general amendments as required in the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948.

Fire Service Bill: The House passed the Haryana Fire Service (Amendment) Bill, 2016, to amend the Haryana Fire Service Act, 2009. As per the Haryana Fire Service Act, 2009, there is a provision to get the NoC by the owner on the completion of the construction of a high-rise building. The NOC is renewed every year by the officer concerned. After the amendment, the NoC will be renewed after every five years.

VAT Bill: The Vidhan Sabha passed the Haryana Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2016, to amend Haryana Value Added Tax Act, 2003 and repeal Haryana Value Added Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016. The amendment was necessitated because section 59A of the Haryana Value Added Tax, 2003, as amended by the Ordinance dated January 13, 2016, that enabled the government to notify an amnesty scheme covering payment of tax, interest, penalty or any other dues under the Act for the period prior to April 1,2015. Subsequently, the registered dealers of the state in some districts like Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonepat suffered losses on account of goods destroyed or lost during the reservation agitation in February, 2016. In order to grant some relief to the registered dealers affected by the reservation agitation, the government felt the need for introducing an amnesty scheme for affected registered dealers. 

• Among other Bills passed in the House were the Urban Areas Regulation Act and the Enterprises Promotion Bill. 
• The Assembly passed the Haryana Appropriation (Repeal) Bill, 2016, to repeal certain Haryana Appropriation Acts. The objective of the Bill is to repeal enactments  that have ceased to be in force or have become obsolete or the retention whereof as separate, independent and distinct Acts is unnecessary.