BDA to implement RTPS Act

Bhubaneswar Development Authority has decided to implement Right to Public Service (RTPS) Act for housing plan approval process from January 1 at a time the government is planning to apply it in 31 other services.

BDA decided to implement the new Act during the 123rd authority meeting on December 21.

Under the present system, anyone applying for approval of a housing plan to the BDA gets it within 60 days, subject to fulfillment of requirements. If the BDA fails to dispose of the application before the deadline, the plan is deemed approved.

“In the changed system, there will be no deemed clause. Officers responsible will pay fines as per the Act,” said BDA planning member Prashat Patnaik.

According to the provisions, services covered under the Act have to be given within 60 days to the applicants. In case of non-compliance, the officers responsible would pay a fine of Rs 250 for each day of delay, up to a maximum of Rs 5,000. In the first phase, the government has identified 31 services of 11 departments to be covered under the Act from the New Year.

Realtors said implementation of the Act would not bring any difference to applicants. “Applications are already disposed by BDA within 60 days, which is calculated from the day all conditions are fulfilled by the applicants to the satisfaction of the authorities. I don’t think the Act will bring any change to service,” said Real Estate Developers Association of Odisha president Pradipta Kumar Biswasroy.