Gujarat govt declares new policy for unauthorised construction

17 Jan 2023 CW Team

Gujarat's government unveiled a new policy that will legalise unauthorised structures in the industrial estates managed by Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC). Over 220 GIDC sites, the new policy is anticipated to cover over 70,000 industrial units.

According to Balwantsinh Rajput, Minister of Industries, Gujarat, “any unpermitted work carried out by owners of MSME units on their allotted plots inside GIDCs may be made legitimate by paying a particular charge. It is crucial to remember that the policy's assistance does not apply to hazardous and obnoxious industrial units.”

The news came after the Gujarat Assembly approved a bill to legalise unauthorised structures in urban areas by charging owners an impact charge. Industrial estates, however, were excluded from the bill's coverage.

The minister gave reporters in Gandhinagar the following justification for the policy: "Over time, unapproved constructions arose in these estates due to rapid industrial expansion. Such structures will be removed, which will have a negative impact on investment, employment, and industrial output. As a result, we implemented this policy.

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