Maharashtra govt introduces slum areas amendment Bill
The Bill seeks to legalize the status of nearly 400,000 hutments in the state
Mumbai: With an eye on the upcoming general election, the Maharashtra government on Friday introduced the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Amendment Bill 2014 that seeks to legalise the status of nearly 400,000 hutments.
According to the existing law, only slums built up to 1 January 1995 are protected and hence eligible for the state government’s rehabilitation scheme which offers 269 sq.ft. flats to slum dwellers free of cost.
The proposed amendment will make residents of slums which came up after 1 January 1995 but before 1 January 2000, eligible for similar benefits.
The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in their 2004 election manifesto had promised to regularise slums till the year 2000, but a Bombay high court verdict of 2006 prevented the state from doing so. The state government has appealed the judgement in the Supreme Court, but the court is yet to give its ruling.
Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan told reporters on Thursday, “We had sought legal advice from the Attorney General and, according to the advice received by us, if the state government introduces legislation to overturn the high court order, then it doesn’t amount to a contempt of the Supreme Court."
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!