JAIPUR: After keeping it in cold storage for two months, the urban development and housing (UDH) department is all set to revive the process of drafting a ‘new township policy‘ for Rajasthan. The govt plans to table the policy draft in the upcoming assembly session.
“The department has sent a directive to the committee that prepared the policy draft to finalise it. Although no deadline to prepare the final draft has been mentioned in the directive, the govt wants to table the policy in the upcoming assembly session and to pass the Bill,” said a senior UDH department official.
On Feb 20 this year, the state govt had constituted a committee of officials to prepare the draft of the new township policy. The govt then sought objections and suggestions on the draft prepared by this committee from all sections of society. In fact, UDH minister Jhabar Singh Khara personally sent letters to all ministers, MLAs, and MPs of the state, inviting objections and suggestions on the draft policy.
“The govt extended the deadline for submitting suggestions and objections on the draft policy twice – first from July 15 to July 31, and then further to Aug 20. But, since Augu, no progress was made, until the new directive came just before Diwali.
Now, taking into account the suggestions and objections recieved, the committee will prepare the final draft,” the UDH department official said. At present, the state follows a township policy that was implemented way back in 2010.
Officials said the new policy has been framed keeping in mind the needs of the present time and new laws and mandates formulated by the state and Union govts regarding townships after 2010. A committee of the UDH department went to a few states to study new township policies there.
