Poor did not benefit from ULC’s Talegaon Dabhade scheme

NAGPUR: The state government had launched the Talegaon Dabhade scheme under the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, known as ULC Act, with the motive of providing affordable housing to urban poor. However, the ULC department admits that few poor benefited from the scheme. Only 17 of the total 952 schemes under this law have been completed in the last 23 years.
TOI had recently exposed how a wedding lawn was developed on 72 plots in a layout approved under ULC’s Talegaon Dabhade scheme. The ULC department and Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) were supposed to ensure construction of tenements for people from weaker section on the 72 plots. However, they sat pretty despite knowing about the irregularity. The land was vacant since approval of the scheme in 2003 and now houses a posh lawn.
RTI activist TH Naidu has obtained information about Talegaon Dabhade schemes approved in the city. According to data provided by the ULC department, 952 schemes were approved in the city between 1992 and 2007. The schemes were supposed to be completed within two years from the date of approval. Shockingly, completion certificate has been issued to only 17 schemes.
Naidu told TOI the ULC department is unaware of the whereabouts of the remaining schemes. “Government gives extension for one year in case of delay in completing the scheme. But very few schemes have taken an extension. Anyway, extension for such a long time is also questionable. The department is aware of the status of the schemes but is not taking any action,” he said.
The ULC department data says 1,879.21 hectare (1,87,92,141.70 sq m) land was processed under section 10(3) and (5) of the ULC Act. Only 870.15 hectare (87,01,505.70 sq m) land was taken into possession and handed over to the revenue department. Besides, 35.50 hectare (3,55,086.98 sq m or 38,20,735.90 sq ft) land was taken into possession under section 20(1)(a) of the ULC Act and declared surplus followed by sanction of layout under Talegaon Dabhade scheme.
If calculated according to 1,000 sq ft per person, 3,820 people should have got affordable houses or plots from the Talegaon Dabhade schemes.
Naidu added that the ULC department can take possession of the land and provide housing projects for needy people. “But the officials are hand in gloves with the land owners or developers and neglecting this crucial issue,” he said.
The government is incurring revenue loss due to ULC department’s negligence. According to norms, the department is supposed to levy penalty of Rs5-10 per sq ft per annum in case of delay in execution of the schemes. Government can earn revenue of around Rs2-4 crore from incomplete schemes. But the department is neglecting verification and imposition of penalty on the pending schemes.
‘Action against those not responding to notice’
ULC department’s additional collector Vinay Moon said that notices have been issued to land owners every year to complete the schemes. “Completion certificate was not issued to many schemes because very less area of the scheme is pending development. Some schemes on the city’s outskirts are abandoned as of date due to lack of buyers. Some are not responding to notices and action will be initiated against them,” he said.
Activist Anil Wadpalliwar said that heads of district administration and civic body should be held responsible for incomplete schemes. “It will take no time to inspect remaining 935 schemes and initiate action. But no one bothers about providing affordable housing to poor. Officials also fear many corruption cases will come to fore if proper inspection is done,” he said.