Maharashtra govt dithers on ULC repeal

FROM THE ASSEMBLY

The Vilasrao Deshmukh government seems to be dragging its feet over repealing the Urban Land Ceiling (ULC) Act, yet again.

While the ULC agenda was supposed to be tabled in the state Legislature last week, the Bill could not come up for discussion during the first week of the winter session.

The government's inability to get the legislature's nod to repeal the Bill is going to hang the future of urban infrastructure projects worth around Rs 23,000 crore across the state in balance.

The projects are likely to get the Centre's assistance under the Jawaharlal National Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) scheme. The Centre has so far given its go-ahead for projects worth around Rs 11,000 crore under the JNURM and released around Rs 450 crore as assistance.

However, under the JNURM, repeal of ULC Act is an important reform, which the state governments need to carry out.

Baffled with the state government's dillydally approach, the Centre had warned that it would suspend its assistance to all the projects under JNURM, excluding those that are related to drinking water supply, if the state government does not meet the deadline of March 31 to repeal ULCA.

During the first three days of the winter session, hardly any business was carried out due to the adjournment of both the houses for two days.

The state government had introduced the Bill during the Budget session earlier this year, and despite having a clear-cut majority and support of major Opposition parties like the BJP, it failed to get it cleared.

According to informed sources from the state legislature, the Bill will once again be put on the agenda of the house next week.