DNA: Mumbai: Sunday,
March 23, 2014.
In a move
that may reduce corruption, the state information commission (SIC) has directed
the chief executive officer of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development
Authority (Mhada) to put up list of all its beneficiaries who have been
allotted residential and non-residential units on its website.
The order,
which was given by state chief information commission Ratnakar Gaikwad on March
19, states that the authority should comply by April 30 and submit a compliance
report. It followed an application filed in February 2012 by Borivili-based
applicant Sharad Yadav.
In his
application, Yadav wanted the list of beneficiaries who have been allotted
residential and non-residential (commercial) units, alleging that people who
deserve units after winning the lottery do not receive them due to corruption
in Mhada.
Yadav sought
information from 2002 to 2010. While the public information officer (PIO) did
not reply to him, the first appellate authority also did not hear him or pass
any order. He filed a second appeal with the commission in August 2012, and it
was heard on March 19 this year.
"There
are times when Mhada does not allot houses to people on flimsy reasons despite
them having won the lottery. What they mostly do is reject the beneficiary's
claim to a house, accusing him of not having proper documents. In such
scenarios, those who are on the waiting list should be given preference. But
that does not happen. With the help of agents, residential and non-residential
units are sold to people who had not even applied for them by corrupt Mhada
officials," alleged Yadav.
Mhada, which
has lately been accused of tagging its units with high prices, has offered
citizens properties at almost half the prevailing market rate. Due to this,
there has been allegations of corruption. Often, those who have purchased
houses sell them within a short time span to make money or transfer ownership
to others. The recent order may help curb these practices.
In the order,
the commission stated that the above information should have been put up by
Mhada on its own as per certain provisions of the RTI Act. Section 4 of the RTI
Act states that public authority should suo motu put up such information. Since
the PIO did not provide any information, the commission has issued a show-cause
notice asking why he should not be fined and disciplinary action not be taken
on him.
"The
order is good and should help a number of people," said Yadav. When dna
contacted Mhada's chief executive officer, he was unavailable for comment.
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