Pune: Housing for all; PCMC to build 25,000 flats, BJP says NCP sat on scheme for 6 months

The BJP said on Sunday that during its five-year tenure in Pimpri-Chinchwad, it will build as many as 25,000 flats costing around Rs 10 lakh each till 2022. In the 2017-2018 financial year, it has plans to build 7,500 flats.

“In the last week’s standing committee meeting, the demand survey for the project was approved. And from Monday, citizens can start sending applications to get an accommodation under the PMAY,” said BJP general secretary Sarang Kamtekar.

In the meeting, held on Wednesday, Standing committee chairperson Seema Savale said that there was no opposition from any member and, therefore, the proposal for “demand survey” was passed unanimously. PCMC assistant municipal commissioner Yogesh Kaduskar said the “demand survey” was being conducted first. After that, the plan of action and then the actual implementation will start, he said. “The demand survey will help us find out the exact requirement of houses for residents,” officials said.

BJP accused the Ajit Pawar-led NCP of deliberately keeping the PMAY under wraps and delaying the project. “NCP did not allow the proposal to come forward. The directives from the Central government were routed to PCMC through state government in September. But during all the subsequent standing committee meetings, the proposal was not brought forth. The BJP, in its second standing committee meeting, approved the project and set the ball rolling for providing houses for the poor,” said Savale.

BJP said that since Pimpri-Chinchwad polls were slated for February, the NCP was afraid of using Prime Minister’s name and inviting applications for the housing project. “NCP feared that if it used PM’s name, people will vote for the BJP… Even without implementing the project, NCP has been voted out,” said BJP MLA Laxman Jagtap, who is also the president of Pimpri-Chinchwad unit. Jagtap said the project has got delayed by six months. “In 2017-2018, the project entailed construction of 7,500 houses, but now first the demand survey and then the construction work will start,” he said.

The NCP, on the other hand, denied that it ignored the Central government’s directive on the housing project. “There are two aspects to this one. One is the PM’s project compared to the UPA’s housing for the economically weaker section looked below par. For instance, the size of flats were much less compared to the earlier projects. The second aspect was that there was paucity of land for implementing the project,” said NCP leader Yogesh Behl, the close confidant of Ajit Pawar.

The BJP, however, has denied that the size of the flats is any less. “The UPA project entailed 465 sq feet flat. 400 sq ft was the key flat area and 65 sq ft was for the gallery. In the latest project, the flat size is 440 sq feet. So, there is not much difference,” said Kamtekar.

The BJP said that the NCP was highlighting its lack of efficiency during its tenure when it spoke about the paucity of land. “We have already identified 45 acre of reserved land which NCP failed to take in civic possession during its regime. We have already initiated the process for taking possession of 45-acre land,” Savale said.

Kamtekar said a one BHK flat for around Rs 10 lakh is not available anywhere in Pimpri-Chinchwad or Pune city. Under the project, Savale said, the Central government will provide Rs 1.5 lakh while the state government will contribute Rs one lakh. “A beneficiary will be required to pay Rs 5-6 lakh. PCMC will help them raise bank loans,” Savale said.

Who can apply for a house?

As part of the “demand survey” by PCMC, advertisements will appear in some Marathi newspaper from Monday, inviting applications from those who do not own a house, said Standing committee chairperson Seema Savale. “Those who do not have a house of their own can submit online application in six zonal offices of the PCMC,” she said. The applicant must be a resident of Pimpri-Chinchwad.

PCMC officials said that under PMAY, flats will be made available to those who come under the economically weaker section and low-income group. According to the revised norms, the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category includes households earning an annual income of up to Rs 3 lakh, while the Low Income Group (LIG) segment includes those earning between Rs 3-6 lakh per year.