Maharashtra: 12,000 houses to be built for dabbawalas, cobbler community under PM Awas Yojana, says Devendra Fadnavis

Devendra Fadnavis. File Pic

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that 12,000 houses would be built for dabbawalas and members of the 'charmakar' (cobbler) community in three years under the PM Awas Yojana, reported the PTI.

The deputy chief minister has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the developers for the housing project, according to the PTI.

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As per a release from Devendra Fadnavis's office, this will be a project of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), as per the PTI.

A 30-acre plot will be provided by Priyanka Homes Realty, and Naman Builders will execute it on a no-profit-no-loss basis, it stated.

The 500 sq ft homes will be available at Rs 25 lakh, the release said.

The dream of dabbawalas (tiffin-box carriers) to own houses will be fulfilled, Devendra Fadnavis said in the statement.

Meanwhile, days after Devendra Fadnavis requested the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief to drop the recruitment condition in Mumbai civic body that a candidate must have cleared Class 10 and graduation exams in the first attempt, the civic body on Tuesday announced that it has relaxed the educational criteria for the post of executive assistants (clerks), removing the condition of clearing the Class 10 and degree exams in the first attempt, reported the PTI.

Devendra Fadnavis had recently written to BMC chief Bhushan Gagrani, asking him to relax the condition.

"You must be aware that some students, due to some family or any other unavoidable reasons, can't clear examinations in the first attempt, but this does not mean the student is not brilliant. This has created an impression that injustice will be done to students who could not pass exams in the first attempt," Fadnavis stated in his letter to the BMC chief.

"One of the conditions for recruitment is that the candidate should have cleared the 10th and graduation examinations in the first attempt. You may be aware that some bright students, due to some family-related or unavoidable reasons, can not clear such exams in the first attempt," Fadnavis wrote in a letter to BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, according to the PTI.

The civic body initiated the online process for filling 1,846 posts in August and sought applications from eligible candidates before September 9. However, it had received representations from different quarters to relax the educational criteria.

In a release issued on Tuesday, the BMC said it has decided to remove the "first attempt" condition and revise the educational criteria, noting that the decision will provide relief to lakhs of aspirants, according to the PTI.

It said a new advertisement will be issued in the next 15 days, and the recruitment process will resume.

Candidates who have already submitted their applications need not reapply, it said.

(with PTI inputs)