Mumbai: After receiving several complaints about mill workers selling their subsidised flats or renting it out, the Mumbai Board of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) Chairman Madhu Chavan, has decided to propose an amendment in the provision to allow mill workers to sell their houses only after five years. Currently, as per the provision, a mill worker can only sign a sale deed on completion of 10 years after taking possession of his house.
Chavan said, “The amendment in the provision can reduce the illegitimate sale of houses. And also control the touts engaged in this hectic activity.” Chavan further asserted that the houses are provided on subsidised rates at just Rs 9 lakh to mill workers in Mumbai with a view that they are homeless and should have their own houses, apart from fulfilling the promise made by the then-government after the mills in Mumbai were closed down.
“On the contrary when the houses are sold out it means either they do not want the house or are applying for it only to make profits. Considering all this, I will ask MHADA to prepare a list of such houses and seize those properties. Wherein workers who are waiting in queue from past several years and who are in real need of these houses will become the beneficiaries,” said Chavan. Chavan also mentioned that similarly if it is seen that those who sold their houses acquired through lottery, illegally such properties will be seized and will be opened in the lottery draw once again.
He proposes to put this demand through in the upcoming MHADA administrative meeting. According to the MHADA data nearly 1.75 lakh mill workers are registered to receive homes in a drive conducted in 2012. So far the state housing authority held three lotteries to this end, allotting houses to only 12,000 mill workers. Since there is a huge gap between the demand and supply MHADA officials believe such measures will improve the situation.
Sweety Adimulam
