The appointment of two consultants by the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) at a cost of Rs 699 crore has been called into question by Ambadas Danve, a Shiv Sena leader in the legislative council. CIDCO had awarded the contract to Heliosmedium Bazaar Pvt Ltd and Thoughtrains Designs Pvt Ltd to provide marketing, branding, sales, and post-sales services for 67,000 residential and commercial units developed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) project. However, activists have criticized the move as wasteful, arguing that CIDCO flats are always in high demand among the masses.
The appointment of two real estate marketing and sales consultants by the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) at a cost of Rs 699 crore has been called into question by Ambadas Danve, a Shiv Sena leader in the legislative council. CIDCO had awarded the contract to Heliosmedium Bazaar Pvt Ltd and Thoughtrains Designs Pvt Ltd to provide marketing, branding, sales, and post-sales services for 67,000 residential and commercial units developed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) project. However, activists have criticized the move as wasteful, arguing that CIDCO flats are always in high demand among the masses.
CIDCO is a government-owned corporation that was established in 1970 to oversee the development of Navi Mumbai. It is responsible for planning, designing, and executing urban infrastructure projects and promoting economic development in the region. The corporation has built several residential and commercial projects over the years, including the PMAY initiative, which aims to provide affordable housing to low-income families.
The project's objective is to construct houses for economically weaker sections of society, and CIDCO has a vast experience selling houses, with a huge response rate for its properties. The corporation has received over 50,000 applications for 5,000 flats in the past. Given this success, Danve questioned the necessity of the contract's awarding to two outside firms for such a high price.
The decision to award the contract to external firms has raised concerns among activists, who argue that the money could have been better spent on improving infrastructure or other essential services. The decision has come under particular scrutiny as CIDCO has been criticized in the past for not providing adequate facilities and services to its residents.
Despite the criticism, CIDCO officials have defended the move, arguing that the external consultants will provide valuable marketing and branding services that will help increase demand for the PMAY units. They also argue that the consultants will provide post-sales services, such as customer support and maintenance, which will ensure that residents have a good experience with the properties.
In conclusion, CIDCO's appointment of two real estate marketing and sales consultants has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the corporation's spending priorities. While CIDCO has a proven track record in selling its properties, officials believe that external consultants will help to enhance the corporation's marketing efforts and provide essential post-sales services. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen whether the investment will pay off in the long run and if the corporation will continue to face scrutiny over its spending decisions.
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