NASHIK: The state government might have made 20% reservation mandatory for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and the Lower Income Group (LIG) in housing projects coming up on 4,000 sq m or above, the civic body has not received a single such proposal in the last 15 months.

Deputy mayor Gurumit Bagga said this during a meeting held to discuss suggestions over the draft development plan of the city on Wednesday.

Bagga said, “The state government has made 20% reservation mandatory for EWS and LIG sections in housing projects coming up over 4,000 sq m of land. But the NMC has not received a single proposal of housing project on or above 4,000 sq m for the past one-and-a-half years. Implementation of the projects is important so that people belonging to the EWS or LIG sections may be benefitted.”

The state government had on January 18, 2012, issued a notification making it mandatory for builders to reserve 20% in housing projects coming up on 2,000 sq m of construction for the EWS/LIG sections. But as there was no clarity in the notification, the state had on April 13, 2012 issued a corrigendum to its notification and stayed its decision pertaining to implementation of the 20% reservation for the LIG sections in housing projects. The state later lifted the stay in September 2013, issuing an accompaniment to its erstwhile notification, extending housing project limit for 20% reservation for the EWS and LIG groups from 2,000 sq m to 4,000 sq m and making it applicable in cities with a population over 10,000.

In accordance with the state government notification dated November 8, 2013, the 20% reservation for EWS will be mandatory the real estate projects coming up over 4,000 sq m of plot. The builder or developer concerned will have to keep 20% reservation either in plot or flats at the same project and will have to sell it to Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) in accordance with the ready reckoner rates. The reserved plots or flats are to be allotted by MHADA to people from EWS/LIG through lottery system.

Builders in the city, however, didn’t appear satisfied with what the government had on offer. Jayesh Thakkar, the president of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India’s (CREDAI) Nashik chapter, said, “We are not against affordable housing for people from LIG or EWS groups, but the way the state government is implementing it is improper. It has not considered even a single demand we had made while implementing it.”

He added, “We do not agree to the terms and conditions set by the state in this connection. Moreover, some developers from Mumbai have moved the high court on the issue, which is still pending. Hence, such project proposals are not being submitted.”

