A proposal of the Inexpensive Housing Division of the Vadodara Municipal Company (VMC) earlier than the Standing Committee, searching for approval to “bear the surplus value” associated to building underneath the Economically Weaker Part (EWS) housing schemes, as a substitute of passing it on to beneficiaries, has kicked off a political storm in Vadodara.
The Congress served a authorized discover to the civic physique to additionally retrospectively apply the identical to beneficiaries of UPA housing schemes, who’ve been “blackmailed” into paying extra building prices.
VMC Congress Corporator Ami Ravat on Friday served a authorized discover upon the Standing Committee Chairman, stating that the civic physique had “illegally” compelled the beneficiaries of the Fundamental Companies to City Poor (BSUP), Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY), and Mukhyamantri Gruhawas Yojana (MGY) — all reasonably priced housing schemes of the UPA authorities till 2014 — to cough up “large quantities and even take loans” to make funds for cost-escalation on account of “delays or corruption of the VMC”.
In search of approval for the present proposal that advantages “poor folks”, Ravat’s letter states, “It’s a indisputable fact that Beneficiary contribution can not exceed the availability in Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and we had drawn consideration of the Company in writing & with representations in Normal Board conferences when such unlawful determination have been being taken. Lastly the Company has realised that the housing schemes are meant for economically weaker sections and that beneficiary contribution can not exceed the provisions underneath the scheme and that extra value needs to be borne by the VMC…”
Ravat’s authorized discover got here on a day the Standing Committee met to debate the proposal put forth earlier than it by the Inexpensive Housing Division, searching for to bear an “escalation value” of about Rs 18.25 crore for the development of 1,067 housing items of the EWS schemes between 2021 and 2023, constructed as a part of the “Housing for All” mission of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. The VMC proposal states that the civic physique had already borne the expense of a sum of Rs 13.44 crore within the building of two,802 items throughout 2018 to 2020 as a substitute of “passing on the burden” to the beneficiary.
Ravat mentioned that in previous housing schemes of Fundamental Companies to City Poor (BSUP), Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY), and Mukhyamantri Gruhawas Yojana (MGY), the VMC had determined to “enhance beneficiary contribution to fulfill with extra prices on account of delays in challenge or corruption”. Stating that the rise of beneficiary contribution, starting from Rs 90,497 to Rs 2.63 lakh for the BSUP and RAY tasks “is prison and towards authorities coverage”, Ravat mentioned, “The beneficiaries in BSUP and RAY schemes are literally slum-dwellers and the homes have been to be allotted to them after removing of slums. These are the poorest of poor households, the standard of building can also be questionable. However because the home was demolished the beneficiaries have been determined and left with no possibility however to bear the price of extra expenditure than the proposed value of the home. VMC illegally elevated Beneficiary contributions… In reality its blackmailing the homeless poor.”
Ravat has mentioned that identical to PMAY, the “poor beneficiaries” of earlier housing schemes needs to be “refunded” and the choice needs to be taken on “humanitarian grounds”. Ravat mentioned, “I demand that in these schemes, too, the poor beneficiaries shouldn’t be punished for corruptions and delays attributable to VMC… (extra) beneficiary contribution within the schemes needs to be refunded to the beneficiaries as lots of them have availed loans for making funds. I request you and standing committee members to contemplate this request on humanitarian grounds, and never drive us to legally proceed for restoration of this unlawful beneficiary contribution.”
Story continues under this advert
On Friday, Standing Committee Chairman Dr Sheetal Mistry, whereas briefing mediapersons concerning the determination taken on the proposals earlier than it, mentioned that the proposal of the reasonably priced housing division had been “deferred” for “additional dialogue”.
