Newmai News Network
Imphal | July 20
The State government of Manipur has appealed to the Centre to continue sanctioning of projects under the 10% Lumpsum Scheme of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) for the North Eastern states in the interest of the people. This appeal was made on Saturday by Thounaojam Shyamkumar who is the minister of the Department of Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD) and Town Planning. The minister made this appeal while speaking at the inaugural function of the one day Regional Workshop on Online Building Permission System (OBPS) in the North Eastern States held at City Convention Centre, Palace Compound in Imphal.
The minister stated that the withdrawal of 10 % Lumpsum Scheme has hit the urban developmental projects in the resource less State of Manipur. He also said that many urban sector projects remain unfulfilled as the State has no alternative financial source.
The workshop is a very important milestone in the implementation and achievement of reforms agenda under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), a flagship mission of the Centre. Stating that introduction of OBPS is one of the important reforms under the mission, he said the objective is targeted to be achieved in the current financial year.
Shyamkumar said that the preceding four years of urban transformation has witnessed giant strides by the flagship mission and the program of MoHUA.
"It is learned that with the sustained and concerted effort by the Ministry, the ranking of the country improved considerably due to the concerted effort by the Ministry. The ranking of the country improved substantially to 52 in 2019 from 181 in 2018 in the construction permit indicator under the Ease of Doing Business Report, 2019", he added.
Stating that under the online system, an applicant need to fill only one centralized form, he said the application is forwarded to the agencies concerned like the Municipality and other related departments. It is the responsibility of the concerned Municipality in ensuring that the construction is carried out as per the provisions of Building Bye Laws.
The minister then informed that in September 2018, the State had conducted a workshop with the resource persons from Town and Country Planning Organisation (TCPO) to bring about consensus on the various provisions being proposed for amendment in the Imphal Municipal Council Building Bye Laws, 2013. The Bye Laws was amended by introducing the 14 provisions recommended by the Model Building Bye Laws, 2016 of the MoUHA. The updated Bye Law incorporating all the 14 provisions was notified by the government of Manipur in the form of First Amendment namely Imphal Municipal Corporation Building Bye Laws (First Amendment), 2019, he added.
Y. Narmada Devi, State Chief Town Planner and State Director for AMRUT and PMAY(U) said that 11 states in the country, including Tripura in North East, have implemented the OBPS in all the towns. She said the Central Government is aiming to implement the OBPS by September, 2019 and is targeted to be achieved in all the States by December this year. Anticipating the expenditure to be incurred which is expected to exceed above Rs 1 crore and taking into consideration the financial position of the North Eastern States, the Central Government in a workshop held in Agartala in December 2018 resolved to provide the software expenses free of cost to the eight North Eastern States, she said.
The State Chief Town Planner said the Ministry has entrusted implementation of the OBPS in eight North Eastern States to National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and will engaged e-Gov Foundations, Bangaluru as handholding partner. As directed by the Ministry, process is underway to introduce additional provision for Electric Vehicle Charging infrastructure in Imphal Municipal Corporation Building Bye Laws (First Amendment), 2019. She also requested the Ministry for consideration of the State’s proposal for establishment of a modified form of Project Development and Management Consultant (PDMC).
Shiv Das Meena, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Gurjeet Singh Dhillion, Director, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, M. Joy Singh, Commissioner (MAHUD), Th. Harikumar Singh, Director, MAHUD and Secretary MUDA graced the dais at the function organised by Ministry of housing and Urban Affairs, Town Planning Department, Govt of Manipur in association with Town and Country Planning Organization and National Institute of Urban Affairs, New Delhi.
The inaugural function was also attended by Rajeev Kumar Das, Under Secretary, MoHUA, officials of Town and Country Planning, MoHUA, National Institu
