The Maharashtra Government has given a Diwali gift to the city's slum dwellers. Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad said that people can sell their huts five years after they are demolished for redevelopment by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and not 10 years after the construction of the buildings as before.
Awhad said, "People can sell their house with the permission of the SRA and not wait for the construction of the building to be completed." He reminded that earlier people could sell their home only 10 years after the building was completed but now they can do it within five years after demolition with the SRA’s permission.
As reported by Free Press Journal, a committee headed by Awhad and comprising ministers Nawab Malik, Varsha Gaikwad and Anil Parab had taken the decision which has been approved by the NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Awhad strongly defended the decision to allow the beneficiaries to sell homes five years from the day of demolition as it took five to 10 years or even more for the completion of slum rehabilitation projects.
Further, Awhad said that the housing department has decided that tenements measuring 300 sq ft will be priced at Rs 2.5 lakh for eligible slum dwellers and people who had resided in slums between 2000 and 2011.