Buy option for leaseholders

Patna: Owners of leasehold residential properties can now pay 25 per cent of the current price of property and become its sole owners.

The standing committee of Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday approved the proposal to convert all leasehold properties of Patna Regional Development Authority (PRDA) into freehold property. Mayor Sita Sahu said the decision will help PMC earn around Rs 500 crore in revenue. The decision will be sent to PMC’s board for final approval.

“The decision assumes significance because all leasehold properties owners, including flat owners, will now have to pay 25 per cent of the current property rate. This will add to the corporation’s revenue,” said Sahu. In another major decision, PMC’s standing committee also gave a nod to Tata Steel’s proposal of creating 500 modular toilets in Patna as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR). Tata Steel gave proposed to build 500 modular toilets within 30 days of the proposal being approved.

PMC’s standing committee also approved the proposal of creating a website for online approval of building maps. “This will end the ordeal of residents who have to visit the PMC office multiple times. Residents will now be able to get their building plan approved within seven days of uploading their application if the request is genuine,” Sahu said.

The proposal of providing identity cards equipped with global positioning (GPS) tracker to PMC workers and of extending benefits of seventh pay commission to all corporation workers also got approved at Tuesday’s meeting.

“The identity card with GPS tracker will help us monitor our labourers’ movement. Many a time, labourers don’t report to work,” said PMC standing committee member Indradeep Kumar Chandravanshi. The proposal of purchasing equipment for the corporation from the Centre’s jam portal was also approved.

De-silting work audit

PMC will get an audit done of de-silting work carried out this year. Auditors will be hired by the corporation to check de-silting work carried out at a cost of Rs 7.5 crore,” mayor Sahu said.

This was also among one of the decisions approved on Tuesday. Among other approved decisions was giving of khadi dress to PMC workers to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Standing committee members also approved the proposal to hire urban planners for the corporation while also giving a nod to the proposal of installing global positioning system in PMC’s vehicles. Also approved was a decision to get wall paintings done on roadside areas.

Organised slum plan

The standing committee also approved a decision to construct a multi-storey building on around 15 acres of Lohanipur and Sandalpur area in Ambedkar Colony to accommodate slum dwellers and achieve organised slum status.

The proposal to create commercial complex on around one acres in front of Khetan market and another in Machhua Toli was also approved.

Courtesy: The Telegraph