Bhopal, Mar 13: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has issued instructions to simplify the procedure for regularisation of illegal colonies in the state by April 2008. Chouhan said that provisions for adequate infrastructure development should also be incorporated in the new rules. He was addressing a meeting on proposed amendments in the existing provisions of Madhya Pradesh (Nagarpalika Coloniser Nirbandhan Tatha Sharte) Niyam 1998 in his chamber in the Vidhan Sabha today. The Water Resources Minister Anup Mishra and Urban Administration and Development Minister Dr Narottam Mishra also attended the meeting.

The Chief Minister said that the government plans to regularise the illegal colonies, which came up prior to December 31, 2007 under the new rules. Also, there is another proposal to reduce the development charges from Rs 15 to Rs 10 per square feet to regularise the illegal colonies. Chouhan further suggested that provisions for charging building construction permission fee from the owners of houses located in the illegal colonies in place of compounding fee be incorporated by the urban civic bodies in the new rules. The Chief Minister also directed the concerning officers to initiate steps to constitute residents' welfare societies in place of colonisers in the process of regularisation of the illegal colonies.

It was informed at the meeting that at present there exists 2024 illegal colonies in the state. People belonging to low income group are living in most of these colonies.

Defunct piped water schemes in rural areas

By Our Staff Reporter

Bhopal, Mar 13: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has directed to ensure adequate drinking water to the people of the state in the next three months of summer season. He said that requisite funds would be provided for drinking water arrangements in rural as well as urban areas.

The Chief Minister reviewed the situation of drinking water supply at a meeting at his Assembly office here today. The Minister for Public Health Engineering Choudhary Chandrabhan Singh and Minister for Water Resources Anup Mishra also attended the meeting.

The Chief Minister directed to immediately restart the piped water schemes, which have been closed due to non-payment of electricity bills by gram panchayats. The state government would provide funds required for this to the Electricity Board. Chouhan said that drinking water shortage is apprehended due to low ground water table and less water quantity in the water bodies. He said that the Public Health Engineering and Rural Development Departments should make jolt efforts for drinking water arrangements. He also reviewed the drinking water arrangements made by urban civic bodies in every district.

The meeting was informed that boring of hand pumps through 93 machines is in progress and a control room has been set up in every district. About 6500 piped water schemes are functioning smoothly. Arrangements for transportation of drinking water are being made in the habitations sans any drinking water source during the summer.

The meeting also discussed the provision of necessary technical assistance to urban bodies for drinking water arrangements. Additional Chief Secretary (rural development) Pradeep Bhargava; Principal Secretary, Finance Ashok Das; Secretary, PHE Prem Chand Meena and Secretary to the Chief Minister SPS Parihar attended the meeting.