Shinde bastion Thane gets land sops ahead of state assembly elections
The government asserts this development will create employment opportunities and facilitate skill development for local youth
Mumbai: In a series of land allotments, the Maharashtra state cabinet has approved the distribution of government plots for multiple projects in Thane, following a recent allocation to a cooperative bank led by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member.
The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) received two significant land parcels. A plot exceeding two hectares was granted for the construction of a convention centre in Vadavali. The government asserts this development will create employment opportunities and facilitate skill development for local youth.
Additionally, the TMC was given a five-hectare plot in Kolshet at no cost, earmarked for an aviary and environmental awareness centre. However, government sources question the necessity of this project, noting that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is already constructing an aviary in Bhandup.
These allocations have raised eyebrows, with some attributing them to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's connection to Thane and the upcoming October 2024 elections.
In a separate decision, the Ramakrishna Mission and Math were allocated a plot of over two hectares in Kavesar for spiritual, social, health, educational, and women's empowerment initiatives. This land was provided at a nominal rate of ₹1 per square metre, in accordance with a government resolution dated 25 July 2019.
These decisions follow Monday's allocation of a three-acre government plot to the Mumbai District Cooperative Bank, controlled by BJP Member of the Legislative Council Pravin Darekar, for the purpose of establishing a Sahakar Bhavan (Cooperative Building).
The rapid succession of land allocations has sparked discussions about the government's land use policies and their potential political implications.