MEETING: Deputation of marriage palaces calls on minister

Chandigarh, November 22, 2012: A deputation of the Punjab Marriage Palace Association today called on Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Punjab and apprised him of their demands in the light of the new policy regarding the setting up of new marriage palaces and regularizing the existing marriage palaces in the state being formulated by the Punjab Government.

The Minister assured the deputation that their demands would be sympathetically considered in consultation with the Chief Minister Punjab Parkash Singh Badal.

Expressing concern over certain issues, the deputation stressed on the need to do away with the discrimination taken place while framing the new policy where big cities have been targeted directly. According to the new policy much relaxation has been given to Mohali area where as cities like Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar have not been compensated in the same ratio.

They demanded the uniformity in the norms. Referring to the recovery of the charges applicable, it was urged that the charges, if any, must be collected from the marriage palaces made after the date of notification and not with any retrospective effect. Further the existing marriage palaces must be given some relief by reducing the charges imposed on them. The charges applicable should be recovered in 6 half yearly installments as decided earlier in the month of October.

The issues regarding mandatory parking space, imposing of EDC, CLU, license fee, kitchen and sewer disposal norms, same fee for all marriage palaces and the annual inspections of the marriage palaces were also discussed.