Days after the Maharashtra Budget increased MLAs’ funds from the existing ₹4 crore to ₹5 crore, the State government on Thursday announced it would build 300 homes for MLAs who have no residence in Mumbai.
Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad made the announcement in the State Assembly. He said that the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) will be constructing the flats for the MLAs in Mumbai’s western suburb of Goregaon. “MHADA already has the possession of a plot in the Goregaon area and we will soon build 300 high income group flats, which will be given to MLAs,” he said.
Mr. Awhad clarified that MLAs from Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) would not be eligible for these apartments and only legislators who did not have a house in Mumbai could benefit from them.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who spoke for the first time in the Budget session of the Assembly, also mentioned the decision, saying that it would provide a permanent residence for MLAs. Commenting on ongoing housing projects in Mumbai and on future plans, Mr. Thackeray said that the State government was willing take forward the Dharavi redevelopment project. “The State government has paid ₹800 crore to the Indian Railways. Despite that, the rail land has not been transferred to the State government. I have personally spoken to the Union Railway Minister regarding the same but we wish to collectively work towards it,” he said.
Earlier, Mr. Awhad had announced changes in the names of areas where redevelopment projects are in progress. The Worli BDD chawls will be named Balasaheb Thackeray Nagar, the Naigaon BDD chawl as Sharad Pawar Nagar, and N. M. Joshi BDD chawl as Rajiv Gandhi Nagar. The Minister also announced redevelopment of the Kamathipura area.
