Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) mayor Yogesh Behl had to face the ire of the members of the Kashtakari Kamgar Panchayat when his car was blocked at Pimpri Chowk on Friday.
Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) mayor Yogesh Behl had to face the ire of the members of the Kashtakari Kamgar Panchayat when his car was blocked at Pimpri Chowk on Friday.
The members were protesting against the civic body’s decision to conduct a draw of lots to select beneficiaries for the first phase of its housing scheme for the economically weaker sections (EWS) and revision of beneficiary share of EWS houses.
The Kashtakari Kamgar Panchayat is a union of workers working in the organised sector in Pimpri-Chinchwad area.
The workers demanded that the civic body must provide dwellings to all beneficiaries under the EWS housing scheme at Rs1.5 lakh, the initial rate promised by the civic body.
They even threatened to block the car of deputy chief minister and district guardian minister Ajit Pawar, who is likely to visit the Pimpri-Chinchwad area next Monday, if the civic body failed to take any decision on the issue.
When the workers refused to budge, Behl stepped out of the car and explained why the civic body has increased the flat rates.
“We had to increase the price of houses under the EWS housing scheme due to the escalation in cost. Hence, the civic body is unable to provide houses at Rs1.5 lakh,” he reasoned.
Later, Behl invited the members of the organisation to his office to discuss the issue. The stir was led by Baba Kamble, president, Kashtakari Kamgar Panchayat, along with members Rohini Kadam, Meena Ansari, Vaishali Warke, Mahanda Alhat and Laxmi Shinde.
The workers expressed their resentment over the manner in which the PCMC is implementing the project.
The EWS housing scheme, costing Rs500 crore, was launched in 2007 under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
The PCMC planned to construct 13,250 tenements. The civic body had promised to provide the flats for Rs1.5 lakh each. However, the price was later increased due to the escalation in cost.
The first phase of the project is being implemented on a 75-acre plot in sectors 17 and 19 in Chikhli along Spine Road.
The corporation has to construct 6,700 flats in the first phase out which 588 tenements have already been completed. Work on rest of the dwellings is in progress.
A total of 17,044 applications were received for the housing scheme. Of these, 15,252 applicants were found to be eligible.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}