JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Government has decided to allow 100 per cent private investment in real estate under a new township policy and amended penal provisions of the Excise Act, while reducing the number of liquor shops as part of the revised excise policy. The decisions were taken at a five-hour marathon meeting of the State Cabinet here late Saturday.

The move to adopt new township policy is likely to benefit the foreign companies which are keen to invest in the desert State famous for its tourist destinations.

The Cabinet fixed new tariffs for conversion of agricultural land for commercial, residential and industrial use.

Township zones

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Rajendra Singh Rathore, said after the Cabinet meeting that the township zones would be earmarked in the master plan of each city. Bookings for housing schemes will begin only after 25 per cent work on the project is completed, while the construction of the whole township will be completed within three years.

Mr. Rathore said permission would be given to developers to build townships in a minimum of 10 hectares in Jaipur, 6 hectares at divisional headquarters and 4 hectares in other towns.

The floor area ratio will be uniform on the Maharashtra pattern and 8 per cent of the land will be reserved for economically weaker sections, apart from the condition of developing 50 per cent of the township's area for residential purpose.

The meeting, presided over by the Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje, cleared the revised excise policy providing for separate allotment of liquor outlets on the basis of licence fee and marginal reduction in their number from 7,000 to 6,900. The Cabinet set the target of earning Rs. 1,600 crores as excise revenue during 2006-07.

Mr. Rathore said those involved in manufacturing and sale of spurious liquor would be punished with life imprisonment and a fine up to Rs. 10 lakhs under the amended provisions of the Excise Act, 1950. A new provision has been added to the Act empowering the Excise Commissioner to establish check-posts to control the liquor mafia.

Lignite power project approved

The Cabinet also approved the Rs. 5,000-crore Kapurdi-Jalipa lignite power project for establishing two units of 500 MW each in Barmer district in the next nine months. Other decisions pertained to establishment of the State Water Resources Council to replace the Rajiv Gandhi Water Management Mission appointed by the previous Congress-led Government, withdrawal of special leave scheme for Government employees, and creation of the new State Development Service to appoint officials for implementing the rural development programmes.

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