Times
of India: Nagpur: Tuesday, 10 March 2015.
The state
government had launched the Talegaon Dabhade scheme under the Urban Land
(Ceiling and Regulation) Act, known as ULC Act, with the motive of providing
affordable housing to urban poor. However, the ULC department admits that few
poor benefited from the scheme. Only 17 of the total 952 schemes under this law
have been completed in the last 23 years.
TOI had
recently exposed how a wedding lawn was developed on 72 plots in a layout
approved under ULC's Talegaon Dabhade scheme. The ULC department and Nagpur
Municipal Corporation (NMC) were supposed to ensure construction of tenements
for people from weaker section on the 72 plots. However, they sat pretty
despite knowing about the irregularity. The land was vacant since approval of
the scheme in 2003 and now houses a posh lawn.
RTI activist
TH Naidu has obtained information about Talegaon Dabhade schemes approved in
the city. According to data provided by the ULC department, 952 schemes were
approved in the city between 1992 and 2007. The schemes were supposed to be
completed within two years from the date of approval. Shockingly, completion
certificate has been issued to only 17 schemes.
Naidu told
TOI the ULC department is unaware of the whereabouts of the remaining schemes.
"Government gives extension for one year in case of delay in completing
the scheme. But very few schemes have taken an extension. Anyway, extension for
such a long time is also questionable. The department is aware of the status of
the schemes but is not taking any action," he said.
The ULC
department data says 1,879.21 hectare (1,87,92,141.70 sq m) land was processed
under section 10(3) and (5) of the ULC Act. Only 870.15 hectare (87,01,505.70
sq m) land was taken into possession and handed over to the revenue department.
Besides, 35.50 hectare (3,55,086.98 sq m or 38,20,735.90 sq ft) land was taken
into possession under section 20(1)(a) of the ULC Act and declared surplus
followed by sanction of layout under Talegaon Dabhade scheme.
If calculated
according to 1,000 sq ft per person, 3,820 people should have got affordable
houses or plots from the Talegaon Dabhade schemes.
Naidu added
that the ULC department can take possession of the land and provide housing
projects for needy people. "But the officials are hand in gloves with the
land owners or developers and neglecting this crucial issue," he said.
The
government is incurring revenue loss due to ULC department's negligence.
According to norms, the department is supposed to levy penalty of Rs5-10 per sq
ft per annum in case of delay in execution of the schemes. Government can earn
revenue of around Rs2-4 crore from incomplete schemes. But the department is
neglecting verification and imposition of penalty on the pending schemes.
'Action
against those not responding to notice'
ULC
department's additional collector Vinay Moon said that notices have been issued
to land owners every year to complete the schemes. "Completion certificate
was not issued to many schemes because very less area of the scheme is pending
development. Some schemes on the city's outskirts are abandoned as of date due
to lack of buyers. Some are not responding to notices and action will be
initiated against them," he said.
Activist Anil
Wadpalliwar said that heads of district administration and civic body should be
held responsible for incomplete schemes. "It will take no time to inspect
remaining 935 schemes and initiate action. But no one bothers about providing
affordable housing to poor. Officials also fear many corruption cases will come
to fore if proper inspection is done," he said.
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