CM directs CIDCO to speed up work on pending issues in Navi Mumbai
The meeting was attended by Airoli MLA Ganesh Naik, Belapur MLA Manda Mhatre, Shiv Sena-BJP leaders from the city, including BJP city chief Ramchandra Gharat, urban development chief secretary Bhushan Gagrani, CIDCO managing director Sanjay Mukherjee, UD principal secretary Sonia Sethi, MMRDA commissioner S V R Srinivas, NMMC commissioner Rajesh Narvekar and other top bureaucrats
Navi Mumbai: Chief minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday held a special high-level meeting in Navi Mumbai and directed CIDCO officials to speed up work on Maharashtra Bhavan, Marina project at Belapur, jobs for project-affected persons (PAP) for the airport as well as other persons who have been employed on contract basis by Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and property tax waiver for houses of less than 500 sq ft.
The meeting was attended by Airoli MLA Ganesh Naik, Belapur MLA Manda Mhatre, Shiv Sena-BJP leaders from the city, including BJP city chief Ramchandra Gharat, urban development chief secretary Bhushan Gagrani, CIDCO managing director Sanjay Mukherjee, UD principal secretary Sonia Sethi, MMRDA commissioner S V R Srinivas, NMMC commissioner Rajesh Narvekar and other top bureaucrats.
Giving details of the meeting Mhatre said, “CIDCO has allotted around 8,000 sq m plot in sector 30A of Vashi for Maharashtra Bhavan. The area already has Bhavans of several States but Maharashtra Bhavan work had not taken off due to financial reasons.”
“I made presentations to the CM of the project that will promote Maharashtrian culture and cuisine and also provide lodging and boarding for the youth who come from the rural areas for exams, job interviews etc. and have to often stay even in gardens as they cannot afford the hotels here. Officials and people’s representatives will also reside here,” she added.
The former deputy CM Ajit Pawar had declared in the budget session that ₹100 crore will be allocated but nothing happened after that, the MLA said, adding, “Shinde has now taken the proposal seriously and ordered CIDCO to take up the construction work asking MD Mukherjee to ensure the project showcases Maharashtrian history and culture. He also waived off the GST to the tune of ₹80 lakh that PWD had to pay to CIDCO.”
On the permanent jobs issue, Mhatre informed, “For years PAPs and others have been working on 6 monthly contract basis for NMMC contractors on minimum wages. The city has been developed on PAP land and it is their right that they get permanent jobs. In fact, Barvi dam PAPs have been rehabilitated through permanent jobs”
In the meeting, Shinde asked NMMC commissioner Narvekar to amend the rules and send a proposal from the civic body to the state government to recruit the PAP and other workers along the lines of Barvi dam PAPs. He stated that the government will take swift decisions on it.
Shinde has also assured a review of the charges to be paid by the PAPs to regularise their ‘need-based’ houses, as they have complained that the charges levied are very high.
On Mhatre pointing out that the Marina project at Belapur, the only second of its kind in the country, is yet to take off, Shinde informed that he will hold a meeting with the maritime board CEO to sort out the issue and start the project earlier.
CM also assured that soon a decision will be taken to waive off property tax for those residing in houses of up to 500 sq ft.