Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has announced the establishment of a Special Investigation Team to look into alleged irregularities concerning the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority reservation quota in Nashik. The Minister emphasized that those impeding the poor from receiving their rightful housing benefits will face consequences, regardless of their status. The team, led by senior officials, is tasked to deliver its findings within a month.
The decision to form the Special Investigation Team stems from reported discrepancies in the execution of the 20% quota allocated for economically weaker sections and low-income groups by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority in Nashik. Acting on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s directives, the team, chaired by the Nashik Divisional Commissioner, includes senior state officials to ensure a thorough investigation.
During the state legislature’s budget session, Members of Legislative Assembly Devyani Pharande and Nitin Pawar raised concerns through calling attention motions, prompting Minister Bawankule to promise a detailed inquiry. The team, comprising key officials such as the Nashik Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General of Registration, aims to scrutinize layouts exceeding 4,000 square meters where developers allegedly failed to allocate the mandated 20% land or housing units to the authority.
The investigation will also focus on recovering the reserved land as per regulations, proposing disciplinary actions against negligent officials, and suggesting potential legal actions against landowners or developers responsible for the irregularities. Furthermore, measures to prevent such violations in the future will be recommended by the committee. A significant scam in Nashik has surfaced, revealing instances where builders allegedly deceived the government through fraudulent means under the housing scheme of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority.
