Despite opposition from the State Law Department, the government on Wednesday passed an amendment to the Maharashtra Slum Areas Act, 1971, which entitles all slum residents to rehabilitation under the Slum Redevelopment Policy.
The State Law Department, headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, had said that the amendment would protect all slum-dwellers, irrespective of the cut-off date, which was inconsistent with the existing provisions.
The statement of objects and reasons of the Bill said that non-protected occupiers are evicted from the Slum Rehabilitation Area without any rehabilitation arrangement. “Most of them shift to the slum area again, which defeats the goal of a slum-free city and ‘housing for all’ mission of the government. Amendments are proposed to accommodate such non-protected occupiers who are rendered homeless after eviction, by providing them affordable housing through various means and schemes,” it said.
While the Bill is said to be in tune with the Centre’s ‘housing for all’ policy, sources in the government had cautioned that it would put unmanageable load on Mumbai’s infrastructure, since more build-able space on Mumbai’s slum land would increase the population density in the slums.
The Bill, presented by Minister of State for Housing Ravindra Waikar, was passed without much discussion.
