10 January,2017 10:42 AM IST | | Dharmendra Jore
Cabinet meet decides that to prevent misuse of initiative, strict penal and criminal action should be taken against offenders, but only after BMC polls
One of the SRA projects in the city. File pic
Selling a home that one has received in the slum rehabilitation scheme will now invite a penal and criminal action. At least that appears to be the decision of the state cabinet that met on Monday to prevent the misuse of the government initiative. Additionally, the government is also mulling regularising the unauthorised transaction - so that the occupants who have paid money are not rendered homeless - by recovering the premium. A group of ministers will later hammer out the details of the action to be taken against fraudsters, and will also consult the law and judiciary department to ensure a smooth transition.
Current rule
In 2012, the Bombay High Court had ruled that flats allotted under the scheme couldn't be sold or transferred for a period of 10 years. It had also asked the police to seize and seal four flats in a Chandivli slum rehabilitation project, but despite the court order, the illegal sales of such flats continue unabashed.
Then in 2015, the HC directed the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to carry out a survey of its scheme allotments till date and determine the number of such illegal transfers. "After carrying out a survey in a phase-wise manner, action shall be initiated," the High Court had ordered.
On Monday, a government statement announced that a committee under housing minister Prakash Maheta comprising senior ministers Vinod Tawde and Divakar Raote along with junior ministers Ravindra Waikar, Vidya Thakur and Ravindra Chavan has been asked to study the issue and recommend a policy for government's consideration.
How the scam works
Here's how the slum dwellers basically profit from the scheme: Those who get a free house sell the flat using methods like transfer, gift deed or power of attorney for executing transaction for a handsome sum.
The beneficiaries then return to a slum yet again to stake claim on another free housing scheme.
And when surveys are done, few flats are found to be occupied by the original allottees.
This, despite a high court ruling that "gift deeds" and "power of attorney" used to transfer such flats were of "no consequence".
BMC polls looming
And this is where it gets twisted. Sources have said that in light of the upcoming BMC polls, the government does not want to take any drastic decision as these very slum dwellers and transit camps residents - both legal and unauthorized - constitute a large vote bank.
So in Monday's meeting, the cabinet also asked the ministers' group to decide on a policy to give free houses to the original residents of transit camps on the site where their existing building stands. Meanwhile, the unauthorised occupants will be given homes in the PM's housing scheme.
