Two amendment bills passed to tighten slum revamp Act, bring drug peddling under MCOCA
The amendment also reduces the consent window for dissenting slum dwellers from 120 to 60 days once a majority supports a redevelopment plan.
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The bill is aimed at tightening enforcement in slum redevelopment and rehabilitation projects (File)The Maharashtra state Legislative Assembly on Wednesday passed two key amendment bills — one aimed at tightening enforcement in slum redevelopment and rehabilitation projects the other expanded the scope of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) by bringing the drug peddling under the purview of organised crime. Both bills will now be sent to the Legislative Council (Upper House) for approval.
The bill amends the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971, granting the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) stronger powers to recover pending transit rent from defaulting developers or builders by attaching their personal properties.
Under the revised provisions, if a builder fails to pay dues, the SRA can now treat the unpaid rent as arrears of land revenue and recover it by attaching personal properties of directors or partners, not just company assets.
The amendment also reduces the consent window for dissenting slum dwellers from 120 to 60 days once a majority supports a redevelopment plan.
Those who fail to join within this period risk losing their eligibility for on-site rehabilitation.
Additionally, land under slum redevelopment can now be handed over to government agencies within 30 days of issuing a letter of intent, expediting project execution.
The second bill involves a proposed amendment to the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
It aims to bring drug peddling under the purview of “organised crime” by expanding the definition to include activities involving narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
The bill was introduced by Minister of State for Home (MoS) Yogesh Kadam who said that narcotics substances like hydroponic weed and synthetic drugs were being peddled through networks and stringent laws were needed to crack the peddlers network.
Kadam informed the House that in the five years, over 10,000 people were booked for possessing commercial quantities and drugs worth Rs 11,000 crore were seized.
Kadam said out of this, drugs worth Rs 10,000 crore were synthetic drugs. Both bills are expected to be tabled in the Upper House later this week for further discussion and clearance.
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