Chief minister housing quota under Bombay high court scanner

Information availed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, has revealed that out of the 3,190 candidates on the waiting list since 1989, only those with political clout have bagged houses under the chief minister’s discretionary quota scheme for housing.

The information was submitted to the Bombay high court in a petition filed by Manohar Bait, a retired lab assistant in a government mint, who has been waiting for an allotment of a flat under the CM’s quota. Bait has contended that despite being eligible, it is the politicians and members of their families who have been allotted tenements under the quota.

The data indicates that there are 62 instances in which two members of a family have been allotted tenements under the quota. These include Ashutosh and Apurva, children of BJP spokesperson Prakash Javdekar, who were allotted flats in 1999 and 2008 respectively.

The list also names BJP secretary Mukund Kulkarni and ex-MLA Suresh Gambhir’s children Shamak and Nitin, who have been allotted tenements. There are two allotments each in the name of MLA Kapil Patil and one Raghuveer Bhogate under the quota.

There are seven instances in which three members of a family have been allotted a flat under the scheme.

A similar PIL was filed by Vasai resident Louis Gonsalves earlier, informing the court that the state formulated a policy decision in 1997 stating the terms and conditions for allotment of flats under the discretionary 2% and 5% quota for ex-servicemen who have received awards, along with artists, journalists, handicapped people, as well as the poor and the needy.

“Show us where (under which category) these people are fitting in?” justice Marlapalle asked the state government’s counsel.
As the counsel sought time to provide the required information, the court adjourned the case till January 6. Bait’s petition has urged the court to restrain the CM from making any more allotments under the quota until the court decides the case.