Navi Mumbai Plot Leased for Re 1 Annually to Trust Linked with Minister Sanjay Rathod
Navi Mumbai, 3rd September 2024: In a noteworthy move, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s urban development department has decided to lease a 5,600 square meter plot in Belapur, Navi Mumbai, to the Shri Sant Dr Ramrao Maharaj Charitable Trust, led by Shinde’s associate, Minister Sanjay Rathod, for just Re 1 annually. Typically, such leases span 30 years.
Opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar has criticized the decision, stating, “This is what happens when a minister is close to the Chief Minister. A land parcel valued at Rs 500 crore is being leased for a token amount of Re 1. Rs 1,500 for votes and a Rs 500 crore land piece for a pittance—this is how the state is being exploited,” Wadettiwar commented on X.
Additionally, the state government has reportedly decided to allocate a 4,000-square-meter prime plot in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, to an organization serving the Dhangar community. However, instead of a direct allocation, the decision has been delegated to another department.
The recent state directive specifies that the Abhinav Samaj Foundation, which focuses on social and educational work, has requested the land. The transfer responsibility has been assigned to the Other Backward Class (OBC) welfare department.
Notably, the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), part of the urban development department under Shinde, will handle the land transfer, while the OBC welfare department, headed by BJP’s Atul Save, will oversee the allocation.
