Tibetans refuse Mansarovar stalls and Pratap Nagar flats

Jaipur: A year after Tibetans shopkeepers got permanent stalls in Mansarovar and offers to buy self-financed houses in Jaipur, the refugees have claimed that both these doles from the Rajasthan Housing Board (RHB) were not feasible for them.
The 266 Tibetan shopkeepers have claimed that the option of buying permanent stalls in the Pink City is not feasible for them as their trade is ‘seasonal’ and it would be difficult for them to run their business in a desert state during summer. Second, the offer of buying self-financed flats of RHB in Pratap Nagar is not at all viable considering the size of these flats and the distance from their shops in Mansarovar.
“We got our shops at Shree Jhulelal Refuge Market in November 2021. In the last one year, we have observed that buying permanent stalls in Jaipur was a not good option. Ours is a seasonal trade and our sales pick up only during winter. We tried to diversify our business this summer by selling summer clothes. It did not attract much customers,” Lhamo, the chairman of the market committee, told TOI.
They are paying around Rs 11,000 a month as EMI for buying these shops. In addition, their expenses in the city have increased as now they have to stay here throughout the year by paying a a house rent of Rs 7,000 to 8,000 a month.
“Around 300 families comprising 1,200 Tibetans are here in Jaipur. They originally hail from Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. Earlier, they used to go back to their hometowns during summer months as climate in Jaipur does not suits them. But now with the permanent stalls they are staying back throughout the year. It means our expenses have increased without good return,” added Lhamo.
Housing commissioner Pawan Arora said that the board is well-aware of their situation. But even then, it’s a win-win situation for them.
“Earlier they used to pay around Rs 20-25 lakh to setup their temporary structures. That money is completely saved now. Second, now they don’t have to pay any ‘godown rent’ for keeping their commodities. If they want, they can always diversify their business,” said Arora.
Recently, to woo these Tibetans, Arora had sent a proposal to allot flats for the Tibetans at housing board’s complex in Pratap Nagar. The commissioner had proposed that these Tibetans can purchase these flats at ‘nominal’ EMIs.
“We accepted the idea, but the options we were given are unsuitable. All these flats are 1-BHK and it’s impossible for a family of three to four to stay there. Pratap Nagar is also far from our stalls,” said Lhamo.
The housing board is also ready to accommodate them in Mansarovar, said sources.