Punjab Housing and Urban Development Department has exempted revenue estates from seeking licenses under Section 20 (3) of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act (PAPRA), 1995 as a relief to landowners.
In addition to Mohali district, 22 other districts have been exempted from the Act. Registration of land was difficult for landowners in villages. According to a senior government official, exempted land in rural areas has no connection to illegal colonies.
The Principal Secretary of the department has issued a notification in this regard. Registration of a sale deed or any other document regarding the sale of land or plots or buildings located in a colony for which a licence has not been obtained is prohibited by Section 20(3) of the Act.
Prior to this, the Revenue Department had made a no-objection certificate (NOC) necessary for property registration by local bodies and development authorities. The ban was intended to check illegal colonies, but revenue land in rural areas was also included.
Due to population growth, villages are naturally expanding. In the past, the government allowed property owners to register their properties by submitting a self-declaration certificate. This anomaly has now been resolved with a notification,” said the official.
