The Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2024, brought relief to millions of citizens buying plots in illegal colonies. The bill did away with the practice of NOC (no objection certificate) for the registration of properties in illegal colonies.
In a major move to control illegal colonies and provide relief to millions of people, the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government introduced the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2024. After the Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria’s consent, the bill to scrap the condition of no objection certificate (NOC) for registration of land deeds is now implemented in the state. Beholding to its promise of providing ease to the general public, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is taking landmark steps to benefit the citizens.
As per the official statement, the 2024 changes in the PAPR act are to overcome the problem being faced by the general public in the registration of their plots and to put a check on the development of unauthorised colonies and construction. It also enforces the provisions of penalty and punishment for offenders.
How does the PAPR act benefit people?
The Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2024, or the PAPRA Act, gives relief to those owning plots up to 500 square yards bought before July 31 in the around 14,000 unauthorised colonies in the state by waiving off the condition of NOCs. As per the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the act aims to ensure stringent control over the illegal colonies, besides giving relief to the small plot holders.
The new provisions after the amendment aim to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and facilitate smoother property registration processes.
What is added to the act?
In the existing 1995 PAPR act, a new sub-section (5) has been included in Section 20. Registrars, Sub-Registrars, or Joint Sub-Registrars must inform the concerned development authorities or local bodies about each registration. Even after the exemption period, subsequent sale deeds can be registered as long as the property hasn’t been subdivided.
Section 36 (1) of the Act is substituted and now includes harsher penalties for non-compliance. Failure to adhere to Section 5 will now result in imprisonment ranging from 5 to 10 years and fines between 25 lakh and 5 crore.
Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 1995
The Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 1995 (Punjab Act No. 14 of 1995) provides for the establishment of new colonies, granting licenses for the same and for construction regulation therein.
In order to curb the proliferation of unauthorised colonies and make the provisions of the Act investor-friendly, the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 1995, was amended in the year 2014.
However, the 2014 amendment caused undue hardship to the small plot holders to get the NOC for registration of sale deed, electricity connection, etc., instead of controlling unauthorised colonies in the state.
The Punjab government considered the issues being faced by the citizens and proposed further amendments to the act.
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