Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Mumbai, Oct 10 (IANS) Congress on Friday launched a statewide campaign for affordable housing in Maharashtra in collaboration with 25 different organisations.
State party unit chief Harshvardhan Sapkal said it had become necessary as housing prices in Mumbai and across Maharashtra have become out of reach of the common people.
“The affordable housing scheme launched by the Congress government is extremely beneficial and should be implemented on a large scale. Under the 33/33/33 formula for mill land development, 33 per cent of land for public purposes is being handed over to industrialists at public expense. To stop this and ensure that affordable housing projects are developed on these lands,” he said.
Sapkal said: “It was the Congress government that introduced affordable housing through the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) and later decided to provide houses for mill workers. Of the 1,10,000 houses promised for mill workers, only 15,000 have been delivered so far. The remaining mill land is being handed over to industrialists. The BJP-led Mahayuti government is literally putting Mumbai up for sale. Because everything is being given as a gift. His favorite businessman. Just as the Delhi leadership has promoted its favorite industrialists, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has now formed his own group of industrialists and is giving them land parcels and housing projects.
Meanwhile, Sapkal criticized Cooperation Minister Balasaheb Patil’s statement that “farmers have become accustomed to loan waiver”, calling it irresponsible and shameless.
He said, “At a time when farmers have been devastated, such comments only rub salt into their wounds. The ministers of the Fadnavis government are foul-mouthed, shameless and arrogant. By making such comments, they have exposed how their government runs on empty promises. Such ministers should be sacked, but unfortunately, CM Fadnavis is busy protecting them – this is a tragedy for Maharashtra.”
Sapkal also said that preparations are going on for local body elections. Review meetings have been held in all the districts and verification of voter lists is underway.
Applications have been invited from interested candidates and these will be sent through the District Congress Committees to the State Committee, which will take the final decision. He clarified that decisions regarding alliances for local body elections will be taken at the local level.
–IANS
SJ/PGH