CM Eknath Shinde, Nagpur Improvement Trust chief broke law to favour 3 families

NAGPUR: CM Eknath Shinde, in his capacity as urban development (UD) minister, and the then chairman of Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) had passed an order to give on lease 16 plots to 16 persons allegedly going against the norms. Legislator and activists have demanded appropriate action for these decisions.
TOI had in a series of stories reported that Shinde passed an order in favour of 16 persons despite a related petition and recommendations of HC’s Gilani Committee pending in Nagpur bench of Bombay high court. Status quo was imposed by HC on Shinde’s order following which the minister had withdrawn his order.
Now, it has come to fore that Shinde as well as IAS officer Deepak Mhaisekar, in his capacity as NIT chairman in 2017, allegedly flouted NIT’s Land Disposal Rules.
Citing government resolution (GR) dated July 7, 2007, Mhaisekar on April 17, 2017, had passed an order giving on lease 16 plots to 16 persons.
Another IAS officer Sheetal Teli-Ugale, in her tenure as chairman of NIT in 2020, passed an order on February 10, 2020, in the same case, saying, “Case of plot holders has to be dealt with as per provisions of NIT’s LDR-1983. While perusing the sale deeds of individual plot holders, I have observed there are more than one plot in one family or one person is having more than one plot. The relaxation will have to be obtained from the government to rule no-4 under rule-26 of NIT’s LDR.”
Rule no. 4 allows allotment of plots for residential purpose by the trust to any major person domiciled in the state for 15 years immediately before the last date fixed by the Trust for receiving application for allotment of plot. Similarly, persons who are employed in any company or establishment or institution within the limits of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) continuously for a period of one year immediately preceding the last date fixed by the Trust for receiving application for allotment can also be allotted plots. However, in both cases, plots cannot be allotted if any such person or any member of his family possesses plots or buildings within the limits of the NMC.
Activist Kamlesh Shah told TOI, “Government or NIT never relaxed this rule in this case. Therefore, decision of Mhaisekar was against the norms. Shinde had set aside Ugale’s order and also flouted rule no. 4 by directing NIT to allot plots to two or more members of the same family. Therefore, they deserve to face action.”
As per orders of NIT and Shinde, six of total 16 beneficiaries are from one family, five from another, and three from third family. Activist Suraj Lolage said these three families own lands in the city since before the order of 2017, so the orders of NIT chairman and minister are bad in law.
West Nagpur MLA and Congress city president Vikas Thakre said Shinde needs to resign in this case. “If this is the case, violation requires action. Therefore, government should taken action,” he said.
BOX
16 Beneficiaries
Yashpal Seth, Pravin Seth, Manju Seth, Amit Seth, Reena Seth, Deepti Seth, Shishir Diote, Nilima Diote, Shankarrao Diote, Sheela Diote, Ganesh Chhakarwar and other, Pushpalata Chakkarwar and other, Laxmikant Chakkarwar and other, Mohammed Arif, Priti Goel, and Suresh Chichghare.
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* Rule no. 7 (2) of NIT’s LDR says price of land is to be fixed through Rate Fixation Committee of the civic agency. Government had never relaxed this rule. But NIT never raised demand to plot holder. On their own, the beneficiaries had paid charges to NIT. Still, the minister had directed NIT to lease and hand over plots to 16 persons.