Maharashtra: BJP member accuses ex-industry minister of scam, probe ordered

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur on Tuesday. File pic/PTI

The state government on Thursday ordered two more inquiries - one into the allegations of changing the use of MIDC industrial land to residential land which was announced by the former industry minister, and the other into the alleged irregularities in SRA projects in Mumbai.

Desai in the dock

BJP leader Atul Bhatkhalkar raised a point of information in the Assembly, asking that former industry minister Subhash Desai be probed for changing the use of industrial land of MIDC to residential in violation of rules. He alleged that around 4 lakh square metres of land valued at R3,109 crore was given for residential purposes. "Industrial land is first converted to commercial land and then to residential, if need be. But here the rules have been violated and orders were passed during the pandemic period. The irregularities caused the state a loss of Rs 3,000 crore as the state got only R168 crore as revenue," Bhatkhalkar said.

"A probe should be carried out by a special investigation team and it needs to be checked if the money trail involves Matoshree [Thackeray family residence]," he said. Current Industry Minister Uday Samant said a high-power committee would probe the matter and the report would be submitted in the next session.

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Probe in city SRA scheme

Members in the upper house, during question hour, alleged that the eligibility criteria was compromised in projects by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority in Mumbai. Housing Minister Devendra Fadnavis said it was found that the names of some dead and ineligible persons were included in the survey of Annexure-2 of slum rehabilitation projects in Mumbai. "The matter will be investigated in the next two months," he said.

The government has taken up a new policy to speed up the slum rehabilitation scheme and an amendment would be done in occupancy and payment, he added. According to Fadnavis, complaints have been received regarding a rehabilitation project in Kurla, and IIT Powai has been asked to conduct a structural audit. "If the developer does not make these repairs, he will be given notice to stop the work," he said.

After Thackeray Sena MLC Anil Parab told the House that the ED has attached more than 20 properties, Fadnavis said he would urge the ED to release part of the attached property that is linked to rehabilitation.