Mumbai, Mar 24 (PTI) Fulfilling a long-pending demand, Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday announced re-inclusion of 14 villages from Thane district in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) jurisdiction, saying local residents cannot be deprived of basic amenities anymore.
Urban Development Minister Shinde made the announcement while replying to a calling attention motion in this regard in the Assembly and instructed authorities concerned to check legal aspects and initiate further action.
He said the move will pave the way for development of the villages.
The minister’s announcement followed some MLAs from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region pitching in unison for merging the villages again in the NMMC-administered area.
Dahisar, Dahisar Mori, Nighu, Mokashi Pada, Pimpri, Ghoteghar, Bambali, Uttarshiv, Bhandarli, Uttarshiv, Nagaon, Narivali, Vakalan and Bale are the villages which will be once again brought under the NMMC limits.
These villages were under the NMMC’s jurisdiction, but the local leaders had demanded the same to be excluded from the corporation’s control and accordingly, steps were taken in that direction, Shinde said.
The minister did not mention the time period as he made the remarks.
The local residents, however, have been seeking re-inclusion of the villages in the NMMC jurisdiction given the lack of development, he added.
MNS MLA from Kalyan Rural, Pramod Patil, mooted the issue for discussion and pointed towards lack of basic amenities in these villages.
He noted that both the NMMC and the urban development department had been positive towards merging the villages in the corporation area again.
Patil added that the department has said in its written reply that around Rs 6,100 crore will be required to develop infrastructure in the villages and another Rs 511 crore for providing basic amenities.
“Only a corporation like the NMMC can afford such expenses in the future. They can do it…though Thane and Panvel municipal corporations are nearby (the villages) they cannot afford (the expenses).
“The zilla parishad, too, cannot afford this. So, my specific question is: are you going to incorporate the villages in the NMMC?” the MNS legislator asked.
Responding, Shinde said the government will need to carry out a survey and examine technical and legal aspects before taking such a step. The government, however, he said was “positive” towards the demand.
Former Navi Mumbai Guardian Minister Ganesh Naik, Shiv Sena MLA from Ambernath Balaji Kinikar and BJP legislator from Dombivli Ravindra Chavan, however, insisted that the minister make the merger announcement in the House, contending the people have long suffered due to absence of basic amenities.
“…they (the villagers) are sons of the soil. They have always cooperated with the government. Considering this, we cannot deprive them of basic amenities like water supply, roads, hospitals, etc for long.
“Hence, I am announcing the decision of incorporating the villages in the NMMC. I am also instructing the municipal commissioner concerned to check the legal aspects and initiate further action,” Shinde added. PTI ENM RSY RSY
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Source: The Print
