Land largesse

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi does not need a gaurav yatra to make BJP MPs and MLAs and government officials proud of him. His larges...

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi does not need a gaurav yatra to make BJP MPs and MLAs and government officials proud of him. His largesse with land is enough.

On Monday, Modi8217;s government gave away residential plots at concession to 13 MPs, 54 MLAs and over 1,600 government employees, including officers, in Gandhinagar. And not all the elected representatives who benefited were from the ruling party. The Congress too gained 8212; three MPs and some MLAs got land.

The BJP beneficiaries include party spokesman and the Chief Minister8217;s friend Arun Jaitley, Jayanti Barot, Haribhai Chaudhary, Babubhai Katara, Lalit Patel, Dipak Patel, Savita Sharda, Bhupendra Solanki, Jayaben Thakkar and Bhavna Dave ex-MP. The allotees from the Congress are Pravin Rashtrapal, Madhusudan Mistry and Savsi Makwana.

The plots were allotted through a draw of lots carried out in the presence of Narottam Patel, Minister for Capital Project, at the Gandhinagar District Collectorate.

MPs and MLAs have been allotted 330-sq metre plots at concession of Rs 800-1,200 per sq metre.

The market prices range around Rs 5,000-5,500 per sq metre. Most government employees and officers have been allotted plots measuring from 90 to 200 sq metres according to their salary slabs. But at least 118 officers have been given plots of 330 sq metres while 89 have got plots of 250 sq metres.

The residential plots have been given in the prime developing sectors of the capital. The allotment of residential land in Gandhinagar to government employees had been put on hold by the Gujarat High Court after a petition was filed. On September 5, the court modified its order saying, 8216;8216;Any allotment at concession rates in Gandhinagar shall be subject to the final outcome of this petition.8217;8217;

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While Minister Patel was not available for comment, sources closed to the minister said: 8216;8216;Since these elected members had been left out earlier, the plots were allotted in keeping with the court8217;s modified order.8217;8217;

Deputy Secretary Roads and Building L.D. Patel said: 8216;8216;Whatever the final outcome of the petitions, the Government will abide by it.8217;8217;

The government has also allotted plots at Sargasan village near the capital to nearly 60 employees of the Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad District Judiciary.