Mangaluru: The department of urban development has planned to bring out a separate policy for paying guest (PG) accommodations operating without any rules and regulations, said U T Khader, the minister for urban development and district minister. He said that the policy will cover homestays which are functioning in urban areas.

Khader also said that currently across the state, all paying guest accommodations in urban areas are operating in a manner as if no government rules apply to them. “Hence, we have decided to draft a separate policy for paying guest accommodations and homestays operating in urban areas. The policy will cover the interests of both owners and inmates,” U T Khader said addressing the media.

On why the government was mulling the policy, Khader said that many organisations and others had complained about PGs, which operate recklessly. The policy will have key points like how many inmates can be accommodated in a room, security, CCTVs and cleanliness, and whether it is allowed in residential areas or not, curtailing of harassment from the owner while returning security deposits and others. Khader added that officials from the urban development department, legal experts and many others are working on drafting the rules, which are likely to be implemented soon.

Khader said that paying of property tax and khata will made available online in all city corporations across the state and can be paid through E-Asthi. Currently, there is a lot of confusion regarding the payment of property tax and khata charges.

“It was just a draft, and that it will not be implemented” Said U T Khader, opining on the controversy that stirred over the state government on removing Good Friday, Eid Milad and Mahalaya Amavasya from the list of government holidays.

Reacting on the water scarcity in Dakshina Kannada, especially under the Mangaluru City Corporation, Khader said that the water is available till Monday. However, water rationing will continue till then.

Khader stated that the government circular restricts that only 30 children can be admitted in class one, but many schools have admitted two to three times more students than this number. “A joint meeting with DDPIs and other officials of the education department will be held at Bengaluru in this regard” he said.

Chief minister and also the education minister, H D Kumaraswamy, will decide on Thursday about the government’s recent circular that restricts the number of students being admitted to class one in government schools imparting education in the English medium.