Noida to work out unified policy to address property issues

NOIDA: The Noida authority has decided to formulate a ‘unified policy’ to execute the property related works including transfer of memorandum, recovery of lease rent, map approval, lease-deed execution and change of constitution among others.

In the absence of a unified policy citizens face problems with multiple rules for the same kinds of work, said officials.

The Noida authority on Thursday in its board meeting approved a ‘unified policy’ that will guide the officials for the execution of the property related works, said officials. The authority has approved the unified policy after a long standing demand for the same from the people, who complain of harassment due to ambiguity in the rules and regulations under which the authority functions in order to address the routine works, said officials.

“We had sought suggestions about the rules and regulations from different departments in the past. And on the basis of these suggestions the authority prepared the unified policy that has been approved on Thursday in the board meeting. The board has approved the unified policy with minor corrections, which will be made soon. The unified policy will end all kinds of complaints related to multiple rules pertaining to one work,” said Lokesh M, chief executive officer of the Noida authority.

As per the sections 18 and 19 of the Uttar Pradesh industrial development act-1976 formulation of rules and regulations for Noida were required. But the Noida authority officials kept executing public works since 1976 as per government orders issued from time to time as per the requirement. The motive of uniform rules and regulations (unified policy) was to remove discretionary powers of officials. In the absence of model rules and regulations the officials execute daily public work by using government orders as per their will. It leads to ambiguity at times and the public suffers.

To end this confusion over different orders pertaining to a particular work the Uttar Pradesh government had in August, 2018 directed the Noida authority to formulate rules and regulations. But the Noida authority’s different departments such as group housing, town planning, land and health among others did not prepare a draft of possible rules. As a result, the Noida authority on May 7, 2019 wrote a letter back to the UP government requesting for formulation of rules and regulations to be followed in Noida. After a delay of many years, the UP government in September, 2024 had directed the Noida authority to formulate the rules and regulations doing away with the ambiguity. Subsequently the Noida authority formulated the rules and regulations, and put forth the same before the board for approval, said officials.

The UP government had in 1976 established the Noida authority under the state industrial act-1976. As per the industrial act the authority is an autonomous body. All the powers are vested in the CEO of the authority that was established to boost industrialization through quick decision making. CEO further transfers its powers to other staff members for smooth functioning.

In the absence of uniform guidelines and prevalence of discretionary powers that the babus enjoy influential people get their work done easily while those, who do not have clout, fail to get the same work done at the industrial authority, said officials.

The authority said that with the approval of the unified policy the works related with the transfer of memorandum, lease rent, plot restoration, plot cancellation, map approval and others will be done within the uniform system.

“We hope that the unified policy will benefit the general public who want to get work done in the authority related with the property. In the absence of unified policy the babus harass the common people by delaying the work,” said Ajay Kumar, a resident of sector 118.