Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The Punjab Government is preparing to introduce two major legislative amendments in the Vidhan Sabha today, both aimed at addressing longstanding challenges in urban development and town planning. The proposed changes are expected to improve financial management and promote more organised infrastructure growth in cities across the state.
Leading the agenda is the Punjab Town Improvement (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which proposes significant revisions to the nearly century-old Town Improvement Act of 1922. The amendment seeks to enable the transfer of funds generated through the sale of land and property under various improvement trusts to a unified Municipal Development Fund. This adjustment would allow the government to use the money across any of the 167 civic bodies in the state, rather than restricting it to the area of the originating trust.
According to officials in the Department of Local Government, this change will help unlock the value of numerous government-owned properties — some lying vacant, others stuck in legal complications — located in cities like Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, and Rajpura. These improvement trusts hold land and assets worth crores that have, until now, remained largely underutilised due to bureaucratic and operational constraints.
Another important proposal on the table is the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which focuses on bringing greater structure to the development of urban colonies. The amendment aims to strengthen regulatory oversight and ensure that urban expansion occurs in a more planned and sustainable manner, reducing the risks of unorganised growth.
The addition of Clause 69-B to the Town Improvement Act is a key feature of the proposed amendment, allowing the proceeds from trust-held assets — whether movable or immovable — to be redirected for broader municipal use. This is expected to provide a much-needed financial boost to urban local bodies, many of which are currently facing funding shortages for critical infrastructure projects.
Beyond these two urban development Bills, several other amendments will also be presented in today’s assembly session, including:
- The Seeds (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2025
- The Punjab Right to Business (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- The Punjab GST (Amendment) Bill, 2025
- The Punjab Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025
These legislative moves reflect a larger strategy by the state government to streamline administrative frameworks, generate revenue through underused assets, and lay the groundwork for future urban expansion.
If passed, the amendments could mark a significant shift in how Punjab manages its urban landscape — from unlocking dormant assets to enforcing stricter development controls — signaling a more proactive and forward-thinking approach to governance.
