Panaji
TCP Minister also stated that the state government intends to amend the Town and Country Planning Act and strengthen the department as well as the TCP board within a week's time to tackle the mounting challenges posed by rectification of RP 2021 and conformation of RP 2021 with RP 2001.
Sardesai was responding to a question tabled by Leader of Opposition Chandrakant "Babu" Kavalekar and Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco which spoke about the hardships faced by people due to non-completion of the RP 2021.
"TCP Act will be amended within a week and department as well as the TCP Board will be strengthened. Regional Plan 2030 will be conceptualized within six months by taking this House into confidence," TCP Minister Sardesai stated.
The government said that RP 2030 will be based on Transferrable Development Rights (TDR) policy, which is followed in highly developed countries of the West and that ownership of eco-sensitive areas will be incentivized.
"Urgent and essential cases of public interest will be considered by TCP Board in the interim period for zone change. RP 2001 will remain as the base plan but after TDR policy-based RP 2030 comes into force, RP 2001 will not be needed," Sardesai announced.
The TCP Minister also questioned the success of public consultation which went into formulation of the RP 2021 on the backdrop of the 16,621 objections received to the plan from the end of 2015 till January 2016.
Though he alleged that the Congress-led government indulged in arbitrary zone changes through RP 2021 whereby 1,700 projects were approved within a short period of time, Sardesai assured the House that the commitments of the previous governments will be honoured. "RP 2030 document will seek to balance public sentiment and investor confidence. Change in government does not mean we will dishonour the commitments of the previous government," he said.
