India >> Maharashtra >> Mumbai City

Maharashtra cabinet approves INR 5,000 crore plan to provide housing for mill workers

PNT Reporter | Last Updated : 15th Mar, 2024

Synopsis

The Maharashtra Cabinet has given its approval to a INR 5,000 crore plan to construct housing complexes for around 80,000 workers left without homes after the closure of 58 textile mills in Mumbai in the 1980s. The government will provide INR 3,000 crore as subsidy while the BMC will contribute INR 1,500 crore. Most housing will be built in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region but those wanting homes elsewhere can also apply. The cabinet's decision was crucial to implement the long-pending plan to fulfill the government's promise of free housing for all displaced former mill workers.

In a bid to reach out to the workers from the 58 closed Mumbai textile mills, the Maharashtra Cabinet gave nod to construct housing complexes for them in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The Cabinet approval was necessary to implement the government�s ambitious plan to provide homes to textile mill workers which has been lingering on for many years.

It is estimated that the project will cost approximately INR 5000 crore. The state government has cleared the proposal to provide INR 3,000 crore to the housing department as a subsidy. The BMC will provide INR 1,500 crore, while a similar amount would be sourced from the Maharashtra Nivara Nidhi which comes under the jurisdiction of state housing department. The government will have to bear the burden towards 1/3 grant in the budgetary provision of INR 1,500 crore.

As per the eligibility criteria assessed by the state labour department nearly 80,000 houses will be required to be built for the textile workers in the MMR.

These mills shut down in the 1980s and when the govt allowed the redevelopment of mill lands, it had promised free housing to all mill workers. It is estimated that there were 1.5 lakh mill workers in these 58 mills. However, only a few thousand have been provided housing.

Most of the housing will be created in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. For the last eight months, the government has sought applications from mill workers. The last date for submission of applications has now been extended to March 15. So far, it has received 1.06 lakh applications of which 87,651 have found to be eligible for free housing.

The cabinet approved the proposal which offered three options for the construction of the housing complexes. These will be constructed on government land and private landowners will be approached for a joint venture under the PM Awaas Yojana. The housing department will identify land, issue tenders to appoint builders while a high-powered committee headed by the chief secretary will finalise bids and negotiate with the builders. The project will be given the same sops as under the PM Awas Yojana.

Next (Pune Municipal Corporation proposes rental housing for transient residents)

India >> Maharashtra >> Mumbai City

Maharashtra cabinet approves INR 5,000 crore plan to provide housing for mill workers

Synopsis

Recent Messages