Meeting reviews progress of Naksha Pilot Programme
Manoj Joshi
, secretary to the GOI, department of land resources. The meeting was attended by senior officers of the Chandigarh administration, including representatives from the department of urban planning, estate office, MC, department of information technology, and National Informatics Centre (NIC).
The Naksha Pilot Programme, which is being implemented in Chandigarh as a model initiative, aims to digitise and streamline the building plan approval process through an integrated online platform.
During the meeting, a detailed presentation was given on the current status, achievements, and challenges faced in the implementation of the pilot project. It was apprised that five villages and 15 sectors in Chandigarh have been selected under the programme.
In the first phase of the project, the aerial survey was successfully completed. The meeting also discussed the progress of subsequent deliverables.
For the second phase, the state level committee (SLC), the state project management unit (SPMU), and dedicated field survey teams have been constituted. Additionally, the status of the digitisation of registration records was presented for review and further planning.
The meeting concluded with a roadmap for the next phase of implementation and a follow-up review scheduled in the coming weeks.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Defaulters pay property tax under one-time settlement scheme in Ludhiana; 25,784 paid under OTS
Ludhiana: More than 25,000 property-tax defaulters in the city have come forward to clear their dues under the municipal corporation's one-time settlement (OTS) scheme, launched ahead of the Ludhiana West assembly byelection. Between May 19 and June 30, the municipal corporation (MC) collected ₹2.42 crore in overdue taxes, giving a much-needed boost to its finances. The scheme, which offers full or partial waivers on penalties and interest, remains open until July 31 for full benefits. After that, reduced relief will be available until Oct 31. The civic body believes the scheme could help recover a significant chunk of the estimated ₹70 crore owed by nearly one lakh remaining defaulters. Full waiver window closes July 31 Under the OTS policy, any taxpayer who pays their entire principal property tax due — pending until March 31 — in one lump sum by July 31 will have all associated penalties and interest waived. If the payment is made between Aug 1 and Oct 31, 50% of the penalty and interest will be waived. After that, the full dues including penalties will be enforced. A senior MC official said the initiative has drawn responses from those who have not paid property tax for several years — some dating back to 2013-14. Politics and revenue at crossroads The timing of the scheme, just ahead of a crucial bypoll, has drawn comment from officials who say repeated tax waivers around election seasons harm the financial health of the civic body. "Every election, the department suffers," said one official on condition of anonymity. "Be it property tax or water and sewerage dues — previous govts have written these off, and it costs the system dearly. Even during the Congress regime, similar waivers caused losses. " Still, the scheme appears to be attracting long-time defaulters, and the civic body hopes more residents will take advantage in the coming weeks. Mayor Inderjit Kaur appealed to residents to pay their dues and use the opportunity to settle past accounts. "The money collected under this scheme will go directly toward public welfare works," she said. Officials are optimistic that the remaining defaulters will come forward before the July 31 deadline — and that this rare chance to clear old dues won't be missed. . MSID:: 122205813 413 |
The Wire
a day ago
- The Wire
PMI in India Reiterated its Commitment to Break the Illicit Tobacco Trade Trinity Through Concerted Efforts and Government Collaborations on World Anti-Counterfeiting Day
• Stopping illegal tobacco trade could help contain the informal tobacco economy, secure product integrity, and ensure a better livelihood for tobacco farmers • The move would align with India's stature as the 4th largest economy in the world and a leader of the Global South NEW DELHI, July 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Philip Morris International Inc.'s (PMI) India affiliate, IPM India, pledged its steadfast commitment to breaking the illicit tobacco nexus on World Anti-Counterfeiting Day in a three-fold pursuit to protect revenue loss, combat the informal economy and safeguard product integrity. Aligned with India's recent landmark decision to roll out pack-level Track and Trace (T&T), PMI's commitment beckons a more collaborative future to bolster regulatory enforcement and combat counterfeit tobacco products in a comprehensive manner. As the Government of India (GoI) strengthens the enforcement machinery, enabling regulatory authorities better by helping them distinguish counterfeit, illegal products from legal ones, it is imperative to look at the overall ramifications of the illegal tobacco trade ecosystem as well. Based on Euromonitor and WHO statistics, cigarettes continue to be one of the most common illegally traded goods in the world, with as much as 14-15% of total cigarette sales (excluding China and U.S.) sourced from the black market according to PMI estimates. With an estimated 120 million tobacco users in India, India is the fourth largest and fastest growing illegal cigarette capital in the world with smuggled cigarettes accounting for a quarter of the domestic cigarette industry. Emphasizing on the need for strengthening anti-counterfeit regulations and fostering stronger collaborations, Navaneel Kar, Managing Director, IPM India, said, "PMI remains deeply committed towards obliteration of illicit tobacco trade, in India. We applaud the GoI's decision to introduce the revolutionary Track & Trace (T&T) technology in tobacco, heralding a transformative era in regulatory reform. With thoughtful execution, India's T&T system will boost public trust, protect revenue, strengthen & modernize enforcement - thereby bringing greater transparency and accountability to the Indian tobacco market. Eliminating illicit tobacco trade has been a longstanding priority for PMI, fundamental to its broader efforts in driving operational excellence and building a sustainable future. We have consistently invested in technologies that shield supply chain integrity, globally, and are partnering with GoI to make this initiative a success. PMI brings valuable, practical experience from some of the world's most advanced T&T systems - implemented voluntarily in 140 countries, worldwide. In the European Union, we operate under the Tobacco Products Directive, where every pack is digitally tagged and monitored through the supply chain. Similar systems have been successfully deployed in UK, Russia, Jordan, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), where PMI has worked with national authorities to build scalable, locally adapted traceability frameworks. Across all markets, the outcomes have been consistent: better visibility, stronger compliance, and measurable reductions in illicit trade." Rodney Van Dooren, Head of Illicit Trade Prevention, Asia Pacific at Philip Morris International, shared the importance of a transnational effort to curb counterfeits, and added, "The illicit cigarette trade in the ASEAN region presents significant challenges, threatening national security and compromising sovereignty. As per a report by The Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT), an increasing quantity of counterfeits are distributed in small parcels via postal and express carrier services. Singapore, Thailand, and Cambodia feature among the top provenance economies for shipping counterfeits through small parcel trade. I would also like to commend the Indian government for showcasing the importance of enforcement against intellectual property rights (IPR) violations. The Indian officials highlighted the continued bilateral efforts with Cambodia to solve issues pertaining to IPR violations and customs counterfeiting goods at the WTO Trade Policy Review of the country. Cigarettes manufactured within ASEAN countries are smuggled to other ASEAN countries, other Asia-Pacific countries, and global markets. As a leader of the global south and an innovation hub, India, with its strong enforcement & growing soft power in the region, can lead a concentrated regional effort to curb this menace and protect citizens from counterfeits." The consolidated fight against counterfeit tobacco products continues to be of increasing relevance for India as the country remains one of the world's largest tobacco markets, besides housing the world's second largest smoking population. Moreover, as a key transit hub, the country stands risked with easy exposure to counterfeits. With increasing global relevance, investor interest and modernization, India's stature as an economic superpower can immensely benefit from a technology-driven, high-impact strategy that can trace counterfeits and mitigate the varied risks posed by them while effectuating a better future for its citizens and tobacco farmers alike. A cohesive and robust counterfeiting mechanism, integrating innovative technology with strong collaborations seems indispensable in transforming India to take the lead and create one of the world's most transparent, resilient, and future-first tobacco ecosystems. About IPM India IPM India Wholesale Trading Private Limited is a joint venture between Philip Morris Brands SARL of Switzerland and two Indian entities, Godfrey Phillips India Limited and K.K. Modi Investment & Financial Services Private Limited. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.).
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Chandigarh: Civic body scraps ₹1.86 crore sapling tender following flak
In response to mounting criticism from city councillors, mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla and residents, the Chandigarh municipal corporation (MC) has scrapped its controversial ₹ 1.86 crore tender floated for purchasing saplings for a citywide plantation campaign. The civic body has instead adopted a cost-effective approach by engaging private banks, Rotary clubs and corporate firms to contribute under their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The move comes after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the Chandigarh administration to plant 5 lakh trees, with 1.5 lakh to be planted by the municipal corporation, as part of efforts to boost the city's green cover. (HT File) The move comes after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the Chandigarh administration to plant 5 lakh trees, with 1.5 lakh to be planted by the municipal corporation, as part of efforts to boost the city's green cover. In June, the MC issued a ₹ 1.86 crore tender to procure saplings—specifically those over six feet tall—for this campaign. However, the proposal drew backlash during the recent general house meeting, where councillors questioned the need for such a high-budget tender amid the civic body's financial crunch. They pointed out that the MC already maintains its nurseries and could also acquire plants from the UT forest department. 'We are struggling to maintain roads and pay staff salaries. There is no need for such expensive purchases when cheaper alternatives exist,' councillors said during the general house meeting on Monday. Faced with the backlash, the MC withdrew the tender and instead shifted to a sponsorship model similar to the one used during this year's rose festival, where ₹ 60 lakh was raised from around 15 sponsors in exchange for advertising space. Municipal commissioner Amit Kumar said the MC has already secured ₹ 1.25 crore in support and is continuing to seek more funding from CSR partners. 'The tender was initially floated to purchase saplings with a height of over six feet. The saplings with such height are not available in MC's nurseries. But, after discussion, we decided to carry out the plantation drive with logistical and financial help from institutional partners. Various banks, clubs and corporate firms have come forward as a part of its 'corporate social responsibility (CSR)' initiative. We have already secured support of ₹ 1.25 crore and we are trying to arrange more fundings', said municipal commissioner Amit Kumar, during the house meeting on Monday. The plantation drive, set to begin this week, aims to plant 1.5 lakh trees without any direct spending from the MC. Areas such as the Dadumajra dumping ground are already being targeted under ongoing drives. To ensure better results, this year's campaign will include a digital monitoring system. Each sapling will be geotagged, allowing real-time tracking of its location and growth, helping ensure proper maintenance and survival. As per Chandigarh administration officials, at present, the city's sapling survival rate ranges between 50% and 60%. Over the past seven years, the city's green cover has increased by 9%.
