With the introduction of ‘deemed to have been permitted’ norms for buildings in the new Municipal Act, those planning to construct houses are facing a problem of bankers denying loans in the absence of permission letters from the municipal authorities concerned.
Keeping in view the difficulty, the government has asked the municipal commissioners to issue letters of permission to such persons immediately. These letters will be as good as permissions granted by the municipality for all legal purposes.
Municipal Administration Minister K.T. Rama Rao, who interacted with a select group of reporters on Friday ahead of the municipal elections, said that the municipal commissioners have been asked to act fast on this after several complaints came to his notice.
He said the new Municipal Act of the Telangana government is revolutionary and all permissions have to be obtained online, and they will be cleared in 21 days. The onus is on the officials to give reasons for rejections within six days and if the applications are kept pending after 21 days without any reason, they are deemed to have been cleared.
Mr. Rao said the new Act allows people to construct houses in less than 75 yards without any permission and this he hoped will minimise corruption and root out red tapism.
Self-certification
To ensure participatory governance, he said the new Act will also allow self-certification for those construction houses in plots up to 500 square meters. But there are enough checks and balances to stop the misuse of the self-certification facility.
He said the new Act empowers officials to demolish unauthorised structures without any notice unlike earlier period when notices have to be served first. Constructions in disputed lands and in government lands will be also demolished without any notice.
People will be allowed to assess their property tax minimising the intervention of officials but those who under-assess the property tax or misuse the facility will be levied 25 times penalty of the tax amount.
Green plan
Mr. Rao said municipalities now have to earmark 10% of the funds necessarily for the green plan. It is mandatory and the officials and elected representatives will have to take the responsibility.
The government will train the officials and conduct special training classes for the elected representatives on the new Act as soon as the process of elections are over, he said.
