BDA outsource move to fast track services

BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has decided to outsource its public services, such as building plan approval, allotment of housing properties and issuing of occupancy certificates, to a private party.
The private partner, being termed process manager, would carry out these works, using high-end technology, on a fast-track mode. "The idea is to bring speed and transparency in BDA functioning.The role of the agency would be that of a supervisor," a senior BDA officer said.
The BDA on Tuesday published a ?request for proposal (RFP)' notice to select a competent agency for the move. According to the RFP, the selected process manager would deploy qualified professionals at designated counters of BDA to receive applications, visit the sites and process those for plan approval, allotment and for occupancy certificates. In case any document is found wanting, the private partner would coordinate with the applicants.
For the past five years, the agency had been receiving 3500 to 4000 applications on an average every year for building plan approval. It would use hand-held GPS and other instruments to integrate data and maintain its accuracy.
For occupancy certificates, the process manager would conduct field survey to scrutinize the applications received and issue certificates to the applicant after taking BDA's approval.
In case of allotment of houses, the private party would issue NOCs after scrutinizing the applications, keeping the allotment manual's terms and conditions in mind.
The process manager would do all the paperworks for BDA. It would also develop and use IT tools to manage the processes on an online platform.
The private partner is required to complete field verification and scrutiny of documents, preliminary recommendations and communication to the applicant within seven days and make final recommendation to BDA within eight days for the services.