Punjab allows warehouses for non-agriculture uses

 Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday okayed a warehousing facility for non-agriculture purposes in Patiala district, to boost industrial development in the region, with the model to be subsequently replicated across the state.

The Chief Minister also asked the Housing and Urban Development Department to expedite handing over possession of land under the housing scheme for the economically weaker sections (EWS) in the state.

The directions were issued at a meeting of the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Board here.

The Chief Minister directed the Housing and Urban Development to ensure that all developers and colonizers immediately hand over possession of the requisite land already earmarked in their layout plans to the Urban Development authorities concerned for the purpose of EWS scheme.

He also gave the nod to initiate the process for necessary amendments in the Unified Zoning Regulations under Section 76 of Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1995.

The move would help augment investments in trade and commercial activities, giving the much-needed impetus to the warehousing sector, besides generating employment opportunities for the youth.

With this decision, the state government has met a long-pending demand of industrialists and traders for establishment of warehouses to store different types of goods and commodities in view of their huge potential and demand.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister released a compendium related to various policies and guidelines for urban development, prepared by the Housing and Urban Development.

This would also be made available on the department's website shortly. The aim of this compendium is to educate and provide basic information to the people regarding several path-breaking initiatives and policy interventions of the incumbent government for the prompt redress of their grievances. IANS