Mayor hands over keys of flats to 69 families on I-Day
Mira Road : It was a memorable moment in the lives of conservancy workers of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) who have put in 25 or more years of service. After much administrative dilly-dallying and an agonising 5-year-long wait, they finally got their own houses under the ambitious Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Shramsafalya Aawas Yojana.
On the occasion of Independence Day on Saturday, MBMC Mayor Geeta Jain handed over keys to the families of 69 out of the 73 beneficiaries of flats built for them in Poonam Garden.
“The conservancy workers are the real heroes of ‘Swacchta’ and I am glad that they we have finally managed to provide them with decent accommodation that they truly deserve,” Jain said.
In an effort to provide better living conditions to conservancy staff, the government had directed all civic bodies across the state to provide permanent housing accommodation, with a carpet area of 269 sqft to conservancy staff completing 25 or more years of service at the time of retirement. In case a worker dies during service period the family is entitled to own the house.
“It’s better late than never. These workers who work in utmost pitiable conditions have finally got their right,” said social activist Anil Bhagat who had been following up on the issue.
In a notification issued by the state urban development department 15 per cent of the units in projects including Low Income Group housing, basic services to the urban poor and surplus flats generated under the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme had been reserved for the project.
Subsequently, the MBMC mooted a proposal in 2010 to utilize 72 units in an upcoming four storey structure in the Poonam Garden area of Mira Road.
Suresh Golani
