MBMC Apathy
177 beneficiary families await homes, 20 workers have already passed away
More than seven years after the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) rolled out a project under the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Shramsafalya Avas Yojana, to provide free houses to conservancy staff who have put in 25 or more years of service, 177 beneficiary families are still waiting with their fingers crossed. Of these, 20 workers have already passed away with dreams of owning a home.
In an effort to provide better living conditions to conservancy staff, the government had directed all civic bodies across the state to provide permanent housing accommodation, with a carpet area of 269 square feet, to conservancy staff (25 or more years of service) at the time of retirement and in case a worker dies during service period, the family is entitled to own the house which will be non-transferable.
While 68 beneficiary families were given accommodation under the scheme in August 2015, others are staring at an uncertain future as the civic administration is yet to initiate steps to generate units to fulfill the growing demands of accommodation under the housing scheme, this despite a notification issued by the state Urban Development Department.
“Despite identifying 177 beneficiaries, the administration has mysteriously sent a list of just 85 for approval to the committee headed by the District Collector. We have strongly opposed the move and demanded disciplinary action against concerned officials for the blunder,” said an office-bearer of Kamgaar Sen, which is fighting for the rights of the underprivileged workers attached to the various department in MBMC.
ChiefSPEAK: Nobody will be deprived
“Under the scheme we committed to provided housing to all beneficiaries who will be completing 25 years of service. An elaborate road map is being chalked out to create accommodation so as to ensure timely provision of units to eligible employees. Verifications were on to rectify any type of anomaly in the list to safeguard the interest of beneficiaries” – MBMC Chief Balaji Khatgaokar