The Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA) has recovered non-refundable registration fees of Rs2,000 from over 5,000 people of economic weaker section (EWS) under Central government’s Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) even as a private bank — IndusInd Bank — had conducted the entire process free of cost.
Alleging injustice towards poor people, former mayor Dayashankar Tiwari has pointed out this yet another major flaw in auction of flats by NMRDA.
Various types of irregularities, violations and errors in auction of flats constructed and allotted under PMAY by the NMRDA, an agency headed by the chief minister. NMRDA is still firm on its decision to continue the process of third lottery marred by several controversies.
In the initial stage, NMRDA conducted registration in association with Mhada in 2019. Mhada had appointed a private company — Probity Software Private Ltd — for registration followed by other processes till handing over flats to beneficiaries under PMAY. Non-refundable registration fees of Rs1,000 was taken citing payment needs to be done to private agency.
Later, NMRDA appointed the same company through tender process in 2020. Citing that Rs1,400 per application will go to the company. Adding expenditure to be incurred for the process, NMRDA recovered non-refundable registration fees of Rs2,000 from applicants.
The private company had conducted the entire process, right from registration to lottery, twice.
Without following mandatory tender process, NMRDA later appointed IndusInd Bank for carrying out registration process followed by lottery etc. Private bank had accepted to conduct the process free of cost. NMRDA allowed the bank to utilize money paid by applicants for some days.
Still, NMRDA recovered non-refundable registration fees of Rs2,000 from around 5,317 applicants, for a total of over Rs1 crore from fees. The private bank had conducted registration process between April 26 and June 25 online where no expenditure was incurred by NMRDA. The private bank conducted the lottery and other processes online.
NMRDA commissioner Manoj Kumar Suryawanshi has continued to ignore TOI calls and messages.
Tiwari said PMAY was launched to fulfil dreams of poor people to own a home. “NMRDA should have not taken a single penny from the applicants,” he said.
The senior BJP neta said, “There was no need for fresh registration process when already applications were equivalent to the number of flats. It would have prevented poor people from paying Rs2,000 fees and waiting for their turn,” he said.
As per NMRDA’s data, around 1,450 people were in the waiting list after completion of the second round of lottery. NMRDA put 1,408 flats for auction in the third round. Still, NMRDA conducted registration process and eligible people increased to 6,767.
IN A NUTSHELL
* In 2019, NMRDA held registration in association with Mhada which had appointed a private software firm
* Citing charges of private company, non-refundable fees of Rs1,000 was taken
* NMRDA appointed the same company through tender process in 2020
* Non-refundable registration fees was increased to Rs2,000, including Rs1,400 as private firm’s fees
* Two lotteries were conducted by private company
* NMRDA engaged a private bank without tender process for the same work stating it will conduct entire process free of cost
* But Rs2,000 per applicant was recovered for a total of over Rs1 crore
* Waiting list was to be cleared, instead fresh registration was done and a large number of people kept on hold after collecting fees
