Hindustan Times | Devendra Fadnavis meets Union ministers to discuss Maharashtra housing

Jun 30,2019

Chief minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday held a joint review meeting with Union housing minister Hardeep Singh Puri and railway minister Piyush Goyal to discuss housing schemes in Maharashtra. State ministers, and other officials from the state and Centre were also present at the meeting, held in the Sahyadri state guest house in Malabar Hill.

The meeting focussed on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), which aims to build affordable homes for all by 2022. The leaders also took stock of pending issues and addressed hurdles that have delayed several projects in the state.

Those present at the meeting said that issues concerning redevelopment of buildings in the airport funnel zone, on defence land and the project at Dharavi, as well as several slum rehabilitation projects, were flagged.

The CREDAI-MCHI representatives from the real estate industry who were part of the meeting also raised the issue of ease of doing business. “The CM assured [developers] that the state government would ensure coordination among various departments and make the process of getting permissions easier. They complained that late clearances not only delay projects but also lead to cost escalations,” said a senior official from the housing department.

Yogesh Sagar, minister of state for urban development, said, “The meeting was called to take stock of the situation and remove hurdles that are delaying implementation of housing schemes. There was also stress on improving ease of doing business by the developers which the government has assured that it will look into it.”

Maharashtra has allocated ₹6,895 crore for under the Centre’s PMAY scheme.

Speaking during a debate on Mumbai’s housing issues, Fadnavis on Friday had told the state Assembly that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) and Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) have been asked to adopt the civic body’s pattern – which focuses on giving time-bound permissions – while clearing projects.