Coming up, housing society for Chandigarh MC’s councillors, employees

After approval from MC House, agenda will be forwarded to the administration for its approval to use civic body land for the project

The municipal corporation will be allotting its land for development of a housing society for its incumbent councillors, officials and employees.

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Under the proposed self-financing scheme, which got the go-ahead in the MC General House special meeting on Friday, the allottees will bear the cost of land and construction.

Mayor Ravi Kant Sharma said a detailed agenda item will be presented in the MC General House meeting, following which UT administration’s approval will be taken to use MC land for the scheme.

Raising the issue of housing for councillors and MC officials, BJP councillor Shakti Devshali sought that a token amount for a housing scheme be added to the budget estimates for 2021-2022.

“The housing scheme will be on the lines of the self-financing schemes in Punjab and Haryana for their MLAs. As Chandigarh does not have a legislative assembly, the scheme will be for councillors and MC employees,” said Sharma, adding that the flats for the economical weaker sections (EWS) will also be part of the scheme to cover all MC employees.

A society, comprising councillors, officials and employees, will be formed to pitch in funds for the project for which land will be allotted on the prevailing collector rates.

Costing of the project has yet to be worked out. “Only after land is finalised and the number of flats that can be developed on the site is decided, the project’s cost can be calculated,” said Sharma.

Even though the Congress councillors didn’t oppose the move during the Friday’s meeting, party’s councillor and leader of opposition Devinder Singh Babla, who was absent in the meeting, said, “The Congress will oppose any such move by the BJP. MC land should be used only for people’s welfare and not for councillors’ benefit.”

Smart school for underprivileged kids

MC is planning to set up a smart school for the city’s underprivileged children. Estimated to cost ₹50 crore, the school will be on the lines of a similar facility in Pune. Apart from smart facilities, the budget will cover uniforms, books and stationery for the students. “Detailed project plans and land for the project will be finalised shortly,” said mayor Ravi Kant Sharma.

Banquet hall in Industrial Area

Also part of MC’s plans is a banquet hall on the plot in Industrial Area, Phase 1, where it currently runs a cattle pound. “The work on the cowshed in Raipur Kalan will be completed in the next five months. The Industrial Area cattle pound will be shifted there and a modern banquet hall will come up in its place. Besides benefitting area residents, it will help MC generate additional revenue,” said Sharma.

Agendas for these projects will be presented in the next General House meeting, he added.