Assam State Housing Board works hit; Act amended but rules not framed for 2 years
Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: Various Acts are amended to give them the right impetus and make them keep pace with time. However, it has come to light that an Act is not being implemented even two years after its amendment as the department concerned has failed to frame the rules for it, thus created a vacuum the very Act. Without its implementation, the amendment has just made the Act a toothless document.
The Assam State Housing Board (ASHB) under the UDD (Urban Development Department) did amend its the State Housing Board Act, 1972 to the Assam State Housing Board, 2018. The Assam Gazette notification of the amendment was published on March 22, 2018. However, the Act is yet to see the light of the day as the UDD has not yet framed the rules of the amended Act.
As many as eight sections of the 1972 Act were amended. According to ASHB sources, the board did frame new rules of the amended Act in April 2018, but the UDD is yet to approve the rules. "The Principal Secretary of the UDD, Niraj Verma has returned our file regarding the rules of the Act many a time. In the absence of the Act we're facing much difficulty in working," a source in the Board said, and added: "As we know, new rules of an Act have to be framed within six months of its amendment. However, in the case of this Act, the amendment is going to complete two years in this March. We're apprehensive of facing more troubles in working in the vacuum of the Act."