The civic administration has decided to hold open auction for leasing its properties. It has also decided to lease properties at 8% of the ready reckconer (RR) rates as against the previous rate of 2.5%.
Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) recently conducted an audit of its properties and found glaring loopholes in the lease agreement of 900 properties given to private parties and social outfits. In many cases, properties were leased out to parties without any formal agreement while a few others were paying a very low rent. In some cases, the parties concered continued using the properties even after the expiry of the lease period.
Hence, the civic body has decided to put into effect two new policies to ensure lease agreements are given to credible parties in a transparent manner and elected representatives do not have much say on the issue.
Officials from the civic administration said, “The urban development department of the state government has sent a letter directing us to implement a new policy in leasing our properties. As per the new policy, the properties should be leased in an open auction and at 8% of the ready reckoner rates prevailing in the area where the plots are located. The properties of the civic body will now be leased as per the new policy of the state”
“We will soon inform the corporators about the new policy in the general body meeting,” said the officials.
NMC has over 2,800 properties—1,900 of which have been leased out for commercial purposes. The remaining 900 properties have been leased to different social outfits for setting up study halls, community halls, library, laughter clubs, gymnasiums and a host of other facilities.
A few months back, city-based educationist Ratan Luth had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay high court (HC) over the misuse of civic properties.
During a hearing last year, the HC had directed NMC to submit a report on the status of properties that were given to social institutes and NGOs at nominal rates on May 3. The civic body failed to submit the report.
The court then pulled up the municipal corporation for not maintaining a record of its properties. It also directed municipal commissioner Radhakrishna Game to remain present during the next hearing.
On being taken to task by the HC, NMC started taking action against the properties being misused and sealed 382 of the 945 properties it owns across six divisions.
Thereafter, the HC directed NMC to give a detailed history of each property. The civic body has conducted an audit of all its properties and will present the report before the court in the next hearing.
