Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati’s clarion call to party workers to be on ‘election alert’ has cranked the party machinery into action. The party leadership is already scrutinising UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s new tourism policy. Mindful of his penchant to put together lucrative land deals, especially in the pricey Noida area, the BSP is studying the CM’s announcement of subsidised land in Noida for the hotel industry.The announcement comes on the same day the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (Noida) announced an invitation for tenders to build residential colonies for senior citizens. The Authority has called developers to bid for residential complexes under the Group Housing Scheme for Senior Citizens, and has earmarked Sector 50 for the construction of the complex.However, as the BSP points out, the price for the area, of 25,500 sq kms, has been kept at the rate of Rs 18,000 per sq km. Says BSP spokesperson Sudhir Goel, ‘‘It is quite surprising that Mulayam Singh’s government has chosen to give the most-sought after and exclusive land to five-star hotel developers at throwaway prices, but will charge senior citizens the market rate. The BSP will certainly highlight Mulayam Singh’s generous handouts to the rich while charging exorbitant rates to the needy, it will kickstart our election campaign.’’Goel is referring to the Noida Authority ACEO, K Ravinder Naik’s, announcement that his board has approved the state government’s new tourism and hotel policy, under which hotels will now be treated as an industry. With hotels getting the industry status tag, the decision to auction plots has an added edge — the price of plots take a heavy fall, as industrial rates are far lower than commercial rates.The new tourism/hotel policy does not only give authority to earmark new land in the master plan of Noida, it also permits the state Tourism Department to allow changes and new entries in land it deems fit for hotel development. And apart from liberal land use conversion in favour of the hotel industry, the state government has awarded a 100-per cent rebate on luxury tax for the next five years to the hotel developer.Other rebates applicable to industry will also be given to the hotel entrepreneur. ‘‘The BSP will highlight the pro-rich policies of the Mulayam government, and it will be the basis of our election campaigns,’’ says Goel.
