The controversial Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill will be re-introduced to Parliament shortly but with amendments so as to address the concerns raised by several Provincial Councils (PCs) which opposed many of the provisions in the Bill.
The PCs had opposed the Bill on the grounds that it infringes on the rights of the PCs to decide on land issues that are presently under their purview.
The Amendment Bill that was presented to Parliament late last year was withdrawn under a Supreme Court directive that it must first get approval from the PCs. The Bill made provision for the central government to take over lands within municipal and urban areas for economic, social, historical, environmental and religious purposes. The Bill will now be amended to enable the take over of lands only for religious purposes, while some of the town planning powers that are now vested with the Ministry of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities are to be vested with the Buddha Sasana Ministry under the new amendments. |
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