If only, Bihar Government stops meddling with Real Estate.

Ease of doing business in Bihar, is a joke. When the state does not know, what “business” is, how could it work on making it easier?  It is that simple in Bihar. The state government is anti-urbanization and anti-industry. Irony is that these two are the most significant pillars of growth in modern economy. This is not only true for the present government but true for all governments ever formed in Bihar since independence.

Business has not got the social and political respect in Bihar that it needs to have in a growth centric economy. The agricultural economy of Bihar urgently needs the support of growth from other sectors. The leadership in the state is rudderless on economic front with no long term agenda and short term goals. One psychological reason for this utter disenchantment from urbanization is the rural background of most of the present leadership in Bihar and their rural vote bank. With time the ignorance of leadership has germinated into arrogance of bureaucrats and has become the main hurdle for Real estate in Bihar.

All the plans regarding real estate is delayed, when they come to floor, there are mass confusion. Why does government make so many rules? For example, why building bye laws are so complex in Bihar. Why cannot it be simplified? A one pager can do for building bye laws:-

1)    Remove FAR (FAR only applicable in airport area.)

2)    Any constructed area in Patna must have 70:30 ratio of constructed and open space whatever the width of the road in front. Old Patna cannot have broad roads now.

3)    No road henceforth could be less than 25 ft broad. Roads to have sewerage lines, water pipe line, and gas pipe line, broadband lines compulsorily.

4)    No need for any MAPS to be passed by government authorities, timely inspection to be carried by officials in every area. Due action to be taken if violations found. And if action not taken than due action to be taken on officials responsible for inspection in respective areas.

5)    Quality of construction be specified for all high rises and commercial building and due inspection to be carried to see they are followed.

6)    Inspection team should compromise of Experts and a Judge. No bureaucrats and no political leader. Any illegal construction should be the joint responsibility of this team and DSP of that area along with SHO.

That is it. Keep it simple. Fewer rules; understandable; simple to implement and execute. Responsibilities and accountability earmarked.

Bihar needs industries and urban centers to take care of its free citizens. The government should withdraw immediately from spaces like tourism, transport, hotels, small scale industries because after 70 years of independence we should realize that government cannot work with SPEED. There is nothing bad or good but acceptance of truth is BEST. And the best way to tackle corruption is to improve the ease of doing business, less permissions from government so you don’t have to go and knock on the government and pay/delay at every door.

Leave real estate to free citizens, stop making rules and tangling growth of Patna. 

And Government of Bihar will be a total laggard in implementing the SMART CITY idea, this is a prediction.