Amendments are being made in the Municipal Act and other provisions in Madhya Pradesh, in which the penalty will be increased for illegal tap connections, cutting pipelines and not providing information from the landowner. Now instead of fine and punishment, officials will have the right to impose fine. This change will provide relief from unnecessary court process.
Now a fine of Rs 5,000 will be imposed for changing the drainage route, cutting the pipeline or making illegal tap connection. Similarly, for not giving correct information regarding the landowner, the fine of Rs 1,000 will also be increased. Many other such provisions of the Municipal Act will also be amended.
Similarly, the provision of fine and punishment for theft of electricity, violation of revenue related provisions including labour, will be converted into fine and the authorities will be given the right to impose it. This will provide relief from the hassle of unnecessary courts and administrative procedures.
For this, a Public Trust Bill will be presented in the state like the Central Government. Chief Secretary Anurag Jain reviewed its preparations on Friday by holding a three-hour meeting with senior officials in the ministry.
The Central Government had introduced the Public Trust Bill in the year 2023 to ease the functioning and eliminate unnecessary processes. Similarly, now preparations are on to present the bill in Madhya Pradesh also.
According to sources, those provisions of other departments including Urban Development and Housing, Labour, Panchayat and Rural Development, Energy, which have provisions for fine and imprisonment, will be amended.
In these cases, a case has to be prepared and presented in the court. This takes a lot of time and can be punished by imposing fines. The Department of Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion is preparing the draft of the bill and information has been sought from all the concerned departments about the amendments to be made in their existing acts.
The Urban Development and Housing Department will amend 22 sections of the Municipality Act 1961. If any person does not give the information required by the body on time, a fine of Rs 1,000 will be imposed. Similarly, the fine of Rs 5,000 prescribed for constructing a building without permission will be increased.
The power to impose fine will be given to the Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Municipal Corporation and Municipal Council Chief Municipal Officer. After the implementation of GST, the provisions of octroi compensation and toll tax will be abolished. Similarly, officers will be given the right to impose fines in matters related to labour, electricity, industry, health and revenue.
In the meeting, the Chief Secretary has instructed all the officers to propose amendments in their respective acts in two-three days so that the Public Trust Bill can be presented in the winter session of the Assembly starting from December 16.
