The Maharashtra Government on Friday rejected the demand made by opposition parties and trade unions to provide free homes to the 108,000 textile mill workers in Mumbai.
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, in his reply after a four-hour debate in the state assembly, said houses would be provided at reasonable rates. He said providing free homes to mill workers will not be feasible due to constraints in the availability of the 150 hectares of land and limitations in construction.
Instead, he said the government, in association with political parties and nine mill workers’ unions, will have to first take a decision on the allotment of 6,900 houses that would be completed soon. Chavan also appealed to the Shiv Sena to withdraw its call for a Mumbai bandh on August 1.
Chavan told the house that the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation had cleared proposals of 41 of the 58 textile mills for redevelopment of land. According to the state government's formula, one-third would be available for mills, one-third to BMC for open space and one-third to Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority for housing purposes.
Besides, BMC has also approved redevelopment of land for six mills of the National Textile Corporation. Nearly one hectare from these six mills would have to be transferrred to Mhada for redevelopmet.
“So far 6,948 houses have been built at Rs 700 crore and the government's priority is to allot them. Another 9,000 houses will be constructed totaling 16,000 houses against the application of 1.08 lakh received by Mhada. The availability of land is a major constraint and it cannot go on increasing floor space index,” Chavan said. He said there were restrictions on constructing buildings beyond 24 meters in the city.
The CM, however, agreed to waive several conditions to make more houses available. “The government is ready to consider January 1, 1982 as the cut off date instead of January 1, 2000. The government, as an exception, will relax domicile conditions for workers. The government will also consider waiving conditions relating to the salary limit of Rs 12,000 for home. Kin and kiths of those workers who were dead will be considered for allotment.”
“However, by relaxing the criteria the number of applications will increase and the government, opposition and trade unions will have to decide on how to make these homes available. There is no question of providing these homes free of cost,” he reiterated. Moreover, several options, including providing Rs 4 lakh each instead of homes, seeking Rs 2 lakh under the Jawahar Nehru Urban Renewal Mission and bringing down construction costs are also being discussed, Chavan said.
“Allotment of houses providing reservation to mill workers under Slum Rehabilitation Scheme or under the rental scheme of Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority is quite a lengthy process. Simultaneously, whether the houses that are being completed be alloted through a lottery system or under the waiting list concept will also have to be decided. This will ensure that people who are not entitled for these houses do not illegally occupy these houses.” Chavan said the government will also consider providing land outside Mumbai or in the Mumbai Petropolitan Region to mill workers who will form a cooperative society.
Earlier, state Public Works Minister Chhagan Bhujbal had called upon all parties for not politicising the issue but involve in a dialogue to find a way out. “How can the government consider demand for free homes to textile mill workers as similar proposal will come forward from workers from nearly 5,000 closed mills from non-textile sectors. Free homes to textile mill workers will also lead to litigations," he added.
The leader of opposition Eknath Khadase blamed the state government for amending the development control rules by incorporating a provision for integrated development of mills. “This had helped mill owners and not workers,” he alleged.
