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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | After RTI revelations, new CM may return flat

After RTI revelations, new CM may return flat

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published Published on Nov 12, 2010   modified Modified on Nov 12, 2010

He got flat, meant for weaker sections, under MPs' quota

Maharashtra's new Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan may return a flat allotted in May 2003 under the MP's quota, now that a Right To Information application has revealed that he owns the flat provided under the discretionary quota.

The application by RTI activist Anil Galgali, seeking the names of those who owned flats under the Chief Minister's discretionary quota, showed that Mr. Chavan possessed the flat at Wadala here. However, official sources said he was taking steps to return it.

The flat was bought for Mr. Chavan's mother, Premlatai Chavan, who was being treated for cancer in Mumbai. As Mr. Chavan did not own a house in Mumbai, he applied for a house under the MP's quota so that family members could stay there while his mother was being treated. However, by the time the flat was allotted, she had died, it is learnt from the sources.

Mr. Galgali, who applied for this information in 2008, told The Hindu that he wanted particulars of all people who had obtained flats under the Chief Minister's 10 per cent quota which was meant for the weaker sections. The request was refused. He went in appeal, which was heard in February 2009.

It was in March 2009 that he got the list of 4,200 names of those who were allotted preferential flats under the quota from 1984 to 2009.

However, Mr. Chavan's application says he applied for the flat under the high-income group housing scheme. An MP at that time, his stated income in the application was Rs. 76,000 a month. He applied for the flat on May 17, 2003, and on May 19 his application was considered eligible. The letter of allotment was issued the next day. He paid Rs 3,66,969 for the flat measuring 1,032.74 square feet.

Mr. Galgali said the per square foot rate of the flat was Rs. 13, 000-14,000 at present, and asked how the income could be only Rs. 76,000 as shown. From the documents, it was clear that this society was meant for the weaker sections. However, the allotment letter to Mr. Chavan does not make any mention on this point.

“I read the list of names and came across one Prithviraj Chavan who, I realised, is the man who was in the Prime Minister's Office,” Mr. Galgali said.

Then he went about asking for the file from the Collector's office and found out that this flat at Bhakti Park, Wadala, was for the weaker sections.

“Mr. Chavan got the flat because of the then Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde,” Mr. Galgali alleged. According to the documents, there was no income certificate, no domicile or income tax document. Another criterion was the applicant should show he did not own a house anywhere in Maharashtra and should have an income below Rs 1.5 lakh, the limit for eligibility at that time.

Mr. Galgali said there was a double violation on the part of Mr. Chavan, as he was not only not eligible for the flat but also rented it out. Countering the Congress claim that Mr. Chavan was clean, Mr. Galgali said he was not affiliated to any party and neither was his application motivated by any consideration.

Asked if any news report appeared in 2009 when this information was available, Mr. Galgali said there were articles too, but there was more interest now as Mr. Chavan had become Chief Minister.

“Mr. Chavan should return the flat and set an example,” he added.

Of the 4,200 names on that list, Mr. Galgali asked for the files on a few “famous” names, including Mr. Chavan, whose information he got within a week. “There were 10,000-12,000 files and I did not photocopy all of them,” he clarified.

The 36-year-old freelance journalist has been filing RTI applications for a while now, and has totted up 500 requests since 2002. Now, he has filed an RTI request for those allotted flats under the Chief Minister's two per cent quota. Under this, one has to pay the entire amount for the flat. That information, too, is being delayed.


The Hindu, 13 November, 2010, http://www.hindu.com/2010/11/13/stories/2010111367621800.htm


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