Hema Malini Land Row: CM Fadnavis for New Policy on Land Allotment at Current Rates

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Government has ordered cancellation of its 1983 resolution allowing allotment of state-owned plots at cheaper rates and announced framing of a new policy to give land at contemporary rates, amid a row over handing over of land to BJP MP Hema Malini at "throwaway" price for her dance academy.          

"I have given orders to cancel the 1983 GR (government resolution) and to come out with a new policy to give land based on the current rates," Fadnavis told PTI today.           

The CM said he has given the orders and the department concerned will put up a fresh Cabinet note before its next meeting.             

He said the orders were issued two days back. When asked if new orders will apply retrospectively or otherwise, the CM merely said, "the Cabinet will decide on the issue".        

However, Revenue department, headed by senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse, is apparently unaware about the CM's order.                

Sources in Revenue ministry contended that no such decision on scrapping the GR has been taken.       

The development comes days after the matter reached the Bombay High Court where former journalist Ketan Tirodkar filed a PIL seeking direction to the Mumbai Police Commissioner to file case of cheating and forgery against Malini and Khadse on the charge of illegally allotting land for her dance academy at a nominal price.             

The BJP-led government had announced allotment of the plot in suburban Oshiwara to Malini in December last year.   

However, an RTI activist had last month claimed that the plot valued in crores was being given to the actress for mere Rs 70,000, triggering a huge controversy.   

Congress and other opposition parties in the state have dubbed allotment of land to Malini for her Natyavihar Kala kendra Charity trust as an act of "favouritism." 

Mumbai Suburban District Collector Shekhar Channe had earlier clarified that Revenue officials were yet to evaluate the cost of the land allotted to the actor MP.   

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) spokesperson Sachin Sawant today said that though the decision to change the reservation on certain plots of land was taken during the previous Congress regime, the present BJP government could have reversed it.  

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