Plan to provide houses to Maha legislators may not happen if people are against it: Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar. File pic

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said the state government may not go ahead with its decision to provide houses in Mumbai to 300 legislators if people are against it.

He also said that it had been decided to give the houses to the MLAs at a certain price and not free of cost.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly last week, Housing Development Minister Jitendra Awhad had announced that the government would make available 300 flats in suburban Goregaon for MLAs from rural areas. He said the legislators who do not have a house in Mumbai, do not represent any constituency in the city and who hail from outside the Mumbai Metropolitan Region will be eligible for this scheme.

Pawar said Awhad had announced constructing 300 houses for legislators through the Maharahshtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), and added the lawmakers will have to pay for the same.

"People thought that the government would give the houses to legislators for free. In fact, there was no question of giving the houses for free," Pawar told reporters here.

He said there was a lot of debate about the announcement on social media and also news reports against the decision.

He said that NCP chief Sharad Pawar and state Congress president Nana Patole have already explained the positions of their respective parties on the issue.

The NCP chief had reportedly said the government should not construct houses for legislators, but create a separate quota for them in the houses built by the MHADA.

"But once a decision is made and there is misunderstanding afterwards for no reason, then the (implementation of such a) decision is stopped. Maybe, I am not saying with certainty, maybe such an approach could be considered," he said.

"But the houses will not be given for free. It was decided to give the houses at a certain price. But if the people are so opposed to it, then it may not happen," the deputy chief minister said.

To a question about the BJP reportedly demanding removal of loud speakers from mosques citing noise pollution in Maharashtra in line with the court orders, Pawar said, "I have not read the exact decision in this regard. But information will be taken and steps will be taken in a way that there is no contempt of the Supreme Court or High Court's orders. The decision will be taken at the government's level."

Without naming anyone or any party, Pawar alleged issues except that of development are being raised these days.

He pitched for communal harmony and urged all the political parties to ensure the same.

The deputy chief minister said that the country will complete 75 years of its independence on coming August 15 and, at such a juncture, there is a need to introspect what the world is thinking at present and to what issues importance should be attached in the state.

"The people, too, need to think about these things seriously," he added.

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