Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Devendra Fadnavis Proposes Housing Scheme for Journalists In Mumbai, Sanctions Land Under CM Quota

Mumbai, January 26: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, BJP-led state government in Maharashtra, under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, made a significant move on Friday by proposing the allotment of prime land for housing society for journalists in Mumbai. The CM also stated that preferences would be given to those journalists who cover state affairs and politics.

Confirming the move, CM Fadnavis said, as reported by The Indian Express, “For the past several years, journalists haven’t been allotted any space in Mumbai, and most of them can’t afford to purchase homes at market rates. There was a constant demand from members of the electronic and print media for the same.” Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Shiv Sena-BJP Alliance Intact, Will Contest In Maharashtra Together, Says BJP.

According to the new move, the proposed land for a housing scheme for journalists has been selected at Kandivali area of Mumbai, where a 33,417 square feet area is vacant, and the Maharashtra government would build 250 homes on ownership basis for journalists and implemented by state-run Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA).

Close sources say the new move by the state government was announced after a request by the chief promoter of a proposed journalists’ housing society – now enrolled as Navodaya Patrakar CHS Ltd. It is to be known that the proposed land for the housing scheme has a Mumbai Metro rail route coming up nearby.

To enable the proposed scheme, the state has invoked regulation 13 (2) of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development (Estate Managements, Sale, Transfer and Exchange of Tenements), Act, 1981. The Fadnavis government last used this provision in August, 2015 to sanction a high-income group housing scheme for sitting Bombay High Court (HC) judges on another 32,300 square feet public housing plot in Oshiwara, reports the national daily. Earlier in 2008 too, the Congress-led state government had sanctioned a high-rise for bureaucrats in Kalina, which continues to be mired in controversy.

Months before the scheme for the bureaucrats was sanctioned in 2007, the then state government had defined the “category of persons” for whom special housing schemes could be formulated. The “category of persons” include – sitting judges serving or retired legislators and parliamentarians, journalists, and bureaucrats.

Though the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India raised serious objections, questioning the move, CM Fadnavis had stated that the area was sanctioned under Chief Minister’s (discretionary) quota. He said, “The High Court has upheld the provision. In the past too, societies comprising MLAs and judges have been offered homes under it. There was the Chief Minister’s (discretionary) quota earlier where flats were offered to various category of persons, but the Court has stayed it.”

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 26, 2019 10:37 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).